Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 10/01/2014 K-Gr 2—On a summer night, a full golden moon lights up the busy dark city streets and inspires the prayers of a boy who scrambles out of bed to kneel for the ritual he had forgotten. One by one, readers are shown four city scenes in which the moon shines over people oblivious to its beauty: a homeless woman huddling for warmth on a bench, a man on a commuter train thinking of his soldier daughter far away, an elderly man in his hospital room, and two "sad souls staring at bare kitchen cabinets." The child prays in turn "for people with no home…for wars to end…for the sick to be healed…for people, little and big, to have the food they need." Having covered these larger social needs, he moves on to more personal concerns, praying for family members, his turtle," for his teacher to read a story every day." Velasquez's double-page scenes are painted in dark tones with early light on the faraway armed soldiers and their helicopter and brighter warm tones in the foreground of the soup kitchen. The simple narrative, which juxtaposes social concerns with prayer lines attributed to the "little boy," seems most likely to resonate with adults. The tone of the youngster's personal prayers and the concluding view of him tucked back into bed are more childlike. The diverse people sharing the night, the realistic dilemmas of the people in need, and the handsome presentation should serve well as bedtime reading for families practicing daily prayer.—Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 11/15/2014 *Starred Review* A young African American boy realizes that he has not said his prayers. As he climbs out of bed, he spots the moon gleaming in the sky. From there this book, with heartfelt simplicity, uses the moon as a beacon for those across the city in need of prayer. Among them are a woman resting on a park bench, trying to keep warm; a businessman on a train, worrying about his daughter fighting overseas; and a hospital patient gazing out his window, wishing for sleep. Though the boy cannot see any of these people, he prays for them instinctively in his thoughts for people with no homes, for wars to end, for the sick to be healed, and for those who are hungry to be fed. Then he prays for his family, for those close to him who make his own life so happy, and he prays that tomorrow he will remember to pray. This oversize volume is a beautiful weaving of word, art, and spirit. Bolden’s restrained but eloquent text is matched by Velasquez’s dark, almost brooding paintings. These nighttime scenes reveal people at their lowest—hungry, sad, afraid. Yet just the intention behind the boy’s words has a soothing effect. The palette brightens whenever people are shown helping, providing food or reading a story to children. A good starting place for discussion, this will give youngsters a sense of those in need as well as what’s worth praying for. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.

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