Bound To Stay Bound

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Booklist - 04/15/2012 Each Saturday, Noah and Grampa take a Shabbat walk and Noah requests that his dog Mazel accompany them. Grampa always refuses, claiming, “that wiggly, waggly, wet-nosed puppy” will spoil their peaceful stroll. Throughout the seasons of a year, the pair note fluttering butterflies, new ducklings, falling leaves, glistening spiderwebs, sweet raspberries, and magical snowflakes—things Noah is sure Mazel would also appreciate. Finally, Grampa relents, and the pup proves himself by noticing an injured fledgling. The author of The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah (2010) offers here a gentle story introducing the concept of Shabbat as a time for peaceful contemplation, separated from the activities of the week. Zollars’ colorful illustrations, rendered in graphite and digital paint, depict a lively cityscape, curiously filled with other dogs and owners enjoying the outdoors. Pair with Amy Hest’s The Friday Nights of Nana (2001), featuring a girl celebrating Shabbat with her grandmother, or Laurel Snyder’s Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher (2010) for a Shabbat-themed story hour. - Copyright 2012 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 05/01/2012 K-Gr 2—Noah and Grampa take a walk every Saturday morning, seeking "Shabbat shalom," or Sabbath peace. The boy always wants to bring his dog, but Grampa thinks that Mazel is too noisy and energetic. After a full year of refusals, he gives in; at the park, Mazel helps the pair rescue a baby bird and at last finds approval. This well-intentioned story may fall flat with young readers. Against expectations, it is the story of a "Shabbat puppy" in absentia: Mazel spends more time off screen than on. While adults will understand Grampa's desire for quiet, children are likely to think him mean for excluding the pup. He says "Shabbat shalom makes you feel good from the top of your head to the tips of your toes," which, ironically, seems like the perfect description of spending time with a beloved pet. The ending, too, falls flat. Mazel sniffs, wags, and barks, apparently to signal that he's found a baby bird on the ground. However, the text states, "Noah spies a baby bird." It is not clear that Mazel should get credit for this bit of "Shabbat shalom." The detailed, richly colored illustrations are full of energy and interesting perspectives. Despite the combination of popular elements (puppies, grandparents, the outdoors), the story never quite gels. The message about the beauty of Shabbat peace gets somewhat lost under the tension between the grandfather's and his grandson's definitions of happiness.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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