Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/09/2025 K-Gr 5—This clever and silly retelling of a classic tale delivers laugh-out-loud fun. Young Frank N. Stine wants to satisfy his sweet tooth. Running low on his favorite cookie mix, he improvises with extra ingredients, only to create something unexpected: a monstrous cookie come to life! Terrified, Frank flees, warning others along his path. But why is the cookie chasing him? Readers will enjoy finding out in this playful take on a fairy tale. Digital illustrations are both spooky and whimsical. The use of vibrant colors strategically contrasted against dark backgrounds adds energy and visual drama that perfectly complement the story. This book is a strong choice for upper elementary fairy-tale units, especially as an example of a fractured tale for comparison and contrast. It's also perfect for Halloween collections, though the holiday is never explicitly mentioned. VERDICT A fresh, funny tale that's sure to engage readers and bring a modern twist to collections.—Darla Kaminsky - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Other - 06/09/2025 Kid mad scientist Frank N. Stine craves a gingerbread person, but he’s all out of mix. Improvising with unlikely ingredients that range from matzo balls to "old croissants gathering dust," he creates the eponymous confection-a hot mess of a cookie with a life of its own. The story’s chase narrative inverts the classic nursery rhyme as Frankenbread pursues its creator, snarling variations on "Frrr Frrr Frrruh!" while Frank warns everyone, "Run, run, run, if you want to survive, this horrible Frankenbread Monster’s alive!" But when Frank realizes that all the monster really wants is a friend, he saves the confection from a mob of villagers, and the duo become not only BFFs but lab partners, too-an arrangement that’s anything but half-baked. Gemeinhart’s rhyming text finds its monstrous match in Cuellar’s electric-hued digital illustrations, which channel classic monster movie vibes alongside a gleeful, fluorescent grotesqueness that’s reminiscent of the Garbage Pail Kids. The human protagonist is depicted with pale skin; background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. A recipe concludes. Ages 4-7. (July) - Copyright 2025

Booklist - 08/01/2025 On a dark, cold night in a dilapidated tower, Frank N. Stine is hard at work whipping up a tasty creation to satisfy his sweet tooth. After discovering that his favorite gingerbread mix is running low, Frank haphazardly combines remnants of other leftover baked goods—cookie crumbs, waffle chunks, pizza crusts—into one giant bowl and maniacally mixes it together, mashes it into the gingerbread mold, and pops it into the oven. But when Frank retrieves his treat, the gingerbread man bursts out and heads right for his creator, growling. Frightened, Frank flees, and soon a werewolf, a bat, and a village are also in hot pursuit of the terrifying treat. The clever rhymes, wacky humor, and playful repetition make this an ideal selection for silly storytimes. Eye-catching illustrations in an array of purples, greens, and oranges have a comedic, cartoonish quality perfectly suited to the zany goings-on. Marvelously madcap mischief with a sweet center. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.