Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2019 K-Gr 2—Fred thinks school is boring and is convinced that his teacher Mr. Bailey is a robot. As the school day starts, Fred is already unhappy until he spots a spider during math. He suddenly envisions a giant spider taking over the class. Fred's class ventures outside for recess but the rain cuts their playtime short. Fred thinks its because Mr. Bailey will short circuit. During history class, Fred is excited because he wants to learn about dinosaurs. He finds they are learning about Japan and decides not to participate. After lunch, Mr. Bailey says he's going to test them. Fred interrupts him saying he thinks Mr. Bailey is going to assign numbers to his classmates so he can keep track of them when he turns them into robots. Mr. Bailey is really just testing their writing skills and Fred is finally happy they get to write about what they want. When his dad comes to pick him up, he asks Fred about his school day and he says it was boring. Readers can see he is really smiling, thinking about the story he created. This picture book is sure to be a hit because of the large, colorful illustrations. The characters look modern, and Fred's futuristic vision of the classroom is fun to contemplate. VERDICT This is a great pick for a read-aloud to first and second graders who will understand the concept of not wanting to go to school but enjoying it anyway.—Amy Lukich, Tinley Park Public Library, IL - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.