Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 03/01/2025 PreS-Gr 2—In Hall's signature style of painted paper and digitally produced line art and shapes, an angry badger gets a lovingly delivered lesson on kindness from his friends. "Badger was looking for trouble." He encounters his friends, Frog, Moose, Elephant, and Bear, and is mean to all of them by physically hurting them with a poke, jab, shove, and a trip. His friends devise a plan to teach Badger a lesson. When they retaliate with kindness (a glass of punch from Bear, for example), Badger turns his mood around and restores his relationship with his very forgiving friends. This simple tale will resonate with young children, who often have big emotions for reasons they cannot verbalize. Used in a classroom setting, this book makes for a powerful tale to help students express empathy for others, especially those children who are also in need of further development of their self-regulation skills. VERDICT Visually appealing for the intended audience, with a message centered on acceptance and repaying hurtful actions with kindness, this work is full of warmth and sensitivity toward its audience. Highly recommended.—John Scott - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Other - 05/05/2025 Wordplay propels Hall’s witty and compassionate story about kindness as one response to difficult behavior. When Badger, flushed with anger and "looking for trouble," physically mistreats fellow forest-dwellers Frog, Moose, Elephant, and Bear, the four victims hatch a three-part revenge scheme-one whose tactics continually surprise. Bear sneaks up while Badger digs in the sun, and then "Punch!" Blocky painted paper collages against a white background show Badger cowering, until a page turn reveals the ursine character merely offering a glass of orange punch. Later actions humorously involve other fist-fight puns ("Belt! Sock!"), while visual storytelling provides a hint about the emotional origins of Badger’s foul mood. And a closing scene points to the takeaway that kindness begets kindness, making for an endearing end to a winsome book about one way of caring for loved ones in distress. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) - Copyright 2025