Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/20/2013 Gr 1–3—"Have you ever begged, cried, or screamed for a special toy or an ice-cream cone…or a pair of sneakers with flashing lights? Is the answer always NO? We feel your pain." So begins this tongue-in-cheek guide that promises to let readers in on the secrets of negotiating for what one wants. The irreverent narrative and humorous, expressive digital illustrations provide tips on being calm, rational, and persistent. For example, Mom won't say yes to ice cream before dinner, but you can negotiate a deal to have it after you eat your vegetables. Advice on managing expectations and warnings against overreaching and negotiating too aggressively are included, cautioning readers that they may have to settle for a pet turtle even though they want an elephant. That some things in life are nonnegotiable is illustrated with a spread showing items worth negotiating for (cotton candy, small pets, trips to the zoo) and those that are unrealistic (endangered species, quitting school to join the circus, an all-cotton-candy diet). But "when you grow up, you can take negotiating to a new level," and "items that once seemed impossible to acquire will now be at your fingertips…" even that pet elephant! The amusing glossary defines and illustrates entries such as "long-term strategy" and "weakness." Text and portions of the illustrations were published in Lutz's adult novel Trail of the Spellmans (S & S, 2012). Sophisticated picture-book readers will relate to the cheeky young protagonist and be entertained by the laughable details depicted in the graphics.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2013 In this comedic picture book drawn from material in Lutz’s adult detective novels, she takes the persona of David Spellman, a character within the novels who often provides the voice of reason in this manual to guide young negotiators. Spellman/Lutz follows Sammy, a smart young deal broker, to provide a tongue-in-cheek but valid explanation of how moving past emotion and using reason can help young bargainers make deals for the things they want in life. Flowcharts and speech bubbles of dialogue between Sammy and his mark (often his mother) help provide clear examples as Sammy wiggles his way out of eating his broccoli at dinner (“I will eat all my vegetables except the broccoli. Does that work for you?” “We’ll see”). The book is marked by a deadpan wit as the narrator plays his counsel straight (“The phrase ‘We’ll see’ is not binding. Sammy needs to close the deal”), and genuine advice—sometimes you can negotiate too aggressively—is comically juxtaposed with grandiose situations—keeping the long-term in mind can help the shrewd finagle their way to President and, subsequently, a pet elephant. Temairik’s digital illustrations, softened by her use of charcoal outlines, make use of textile patterns to evoke an almost tactile realism, but they’re filled with big-eyed pets and simple but expressive faces that have a lot of whimsical appeal. Visual gags that may go over the heads of the intended audience (Sammy reads 8 Habits of Highly Effective Elephant Owners, for example) and the dry humor buried in the text point some of this to adult readers rather than young audiences, but Lutz makes sure there’s plenty of solid advice for an aspiring sharp dealbreaker. TA - Copyright 2013 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.