Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 07/01/2019 At the railway station, Stanley, who drives the train, and Charlie, who scoops coal into the firebox, prepare for the day’s excursion. Their friends arrive carrying a toy boat, an inner tube, and a beach ball. “All aboard!” Not just the engineer, Stanley also collects the tickets, and Charlie serves refreshments. When the train arrives at a station named Seaside, all the animal characters head for the beach, where they splash in the water and play together. After the return journey, Stanley goes home for his supper, bath, and bed. “Goodnight, Stanley.” That last line will be familiar to loyal followers of the Stanley series, in which the versatile hamster works at a different occupation in each volume. While the text is brief and straightforward, the story charms with its childlike details, such as Stanley letting his passengers take turns “shoveling coal, pulling the levers, and blowing the whistle . . . PEEP! PEEP! PEEP!” The distinctive illustrations make excellent use of the broad white backgrounds, strong black lines, and flat colors. A lovable choice for young railway fans. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.