Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/01/2025 Gr 1–4—No one loves strawberries more than Bea and Box, who is, of course, a talking cardboard box. In fact, they love them so much they set a goal to eat one billion strawberries; however, they have eaten all the strawberries they have at home, and Bea's mom will not buy any more. So, Bea and Box set out on a quest to grow the billion strawberries they will need to accomplish their goal. After a failed attempt without help, with a fact-finding mission to the local library, a visit to their gardening neighbor, Mrs. Gomez, lots of patience, and a night spent sleeping outside to protect their plants from squirrels, Bea and Box are finally successful in growing some strawberries, though not a billion. This is a hilariously entertaining yet extremely educational book on the processes of germination, gardening, and food production. The author succeeds in understanding a child's impatience and gives a very realistic introduction to the fun and satisfaction of growing one's own food, as well as the difficulties and pitfalls. The representation in this book is also well done, with the three adults (Bea's mom, the librarian, and Mrs. Gomez) all appearing to be people of color from varying backgrounds, and Mrs. Gomez speaks to Bea and Box using some Spanish words and phrases. As a special treat at the end, Bea and Box provide a visual recipe for strawberry lemonade. VERDICT Be prepared to deal with amused and exasperated parents as this hilarious introduction to gardening will have young readers laughing, learning, and running home to grow their own favorite foods.—Kasey Swords - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/01/2025 When Bea and her cardboard friend, Box, can’t get enough of their favorite berry, they come up with a plan to feed their insatiable need: grow their own. In this informative text explaining the steps taken to raise strawberries from plant to harvest, the pals realize that cut-off leaf tops tossed into some dirt in the backyard do not produce overnight results, so a trip to the library is in order. When they learn that strawberries take months to grow from seeds, their disappointment turns to encouragement when Mrs. Gomez, their green-thumbed neighbor, offers some starter plants and growing tips in exchange for a little help in her garden. Using a palette of muted reds, golds, and greens, Burks introduces expressive characters who eagerly try new things in easy-to-follow panels that support the humorous conversational and informative text. Helpful hints, such as squeezing a plant’s root ball to help roots grow out, will appeal to readers looking for a little science mixed in with their humorous how-to in this first installment of the lively Box Tales series. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.