Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 04/01/2021 K-Gr 2—With the graphic minimalism of a simple group of shapes or the squiggle of a line, a house mouse creates a space that evolves into a house for all. Where she finds the warmth and welcome of a fire, she adds the column of a stove "to mark the spot where the chilliness wasn't." Where the ground seems protected from a fox, Mouse builds the area for the house's floor. Simple text and action verbs accentuated with font changes and angular placements of text invite investigation of images and action each time Hall's triangular Mouse pulls out a hammer from her tool pail and adds to her house. Rain falls in a heavy sheet, rectangular drops that never touch the area of her home's floor, and observant Mouse builds a rooftop that shapes her "peaceful, dry house." A knocking alerts Mouse to build a door, a door she opens to welcome strangers—travelers add their own ingredients to the mix of soup for dinner. Now "it was a welcoming place and the house mouse wanted everyone to know it." As Mouse stands bearing a flaming torch to light the way in the final frame, educators may find a teaching moment about metaphors. VERDICT A suggested first purchase for all libraries, this simple book is a timely addition to titles that encourage social emotional learning as it presents a step-by-step transformation that echoes safety with an enduring welcome and empathy for newcomers.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano I.S.D., TX - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 05/01/2021 It all begins when a tiny mouse finds something remarkable in a wild asparagus patch. It's a fire, so she makes a stove around it (bang bang bang) to mark where the cold does not go. Soon she adds a floor (tap tap tap) where the fox does not chase, a roof (thump thump thump) where the rain does not fall, and, finally, a door to open to weary mouse travelers—a subtle nod to Lady Liberty. The textured-paper collage is easily identifiable as Hall’s work, only with a gentle palette of calming pastels instead of his usual bold colors, which works wonderfully for this quiet tale. The soundscaping elements of the house being constructed will lend themselves brilliantly to read-alouds, child participation, and dramatization, and the words themselves are whimsically incorporated into the spreads. But most importantly, continuing with the overt and thoughtful messages of inclusion and creating a safe space, this is a sweet, original, well-structured story about how leading with our warm, welcoming impulses will serve and protect us all. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.

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