Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/15/2020 A championship baseball game pitting monsters against extraterrestrial beings—what’s not to like? In this sequel to Bonaparte Falls Apart (2017)—in which a boy skeleton whose bones have a tendency to fly off gets help from his dog and little monster friends—Bonaparte goes to bat for his team, again with the prospect of flying bones. The Weird Series is coming up, and the Little Monsters, a ragtag collection that includes a little vampire, a Frankenstein’s monster, a zombie, and a mummy, are up against the multi-eyed, cranium-bodied, and slobbery-mouthed Mighty Aliens. Terry’s crosshatched illustrations, surrounded by generous white space, highlight the action—flying bones, a fainting monster, a ball flying into orbit. The pictures are also kid friendly, featuring gross but not scary monsters and aliens. Besides the visual fun, the book is packed with Coach Roach’s advice to never give up, along with Bonaparte’s successful struggles to keep himself together (aided by his bone-fetching dog). Hilarious—and motivating—especially for sports-centric kids. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.