Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 12/15/2020 A clever visual conceit helps demonstrate the simple power of paying kindness forward in this gentle, encouraging picture book. It's the first day of school, and one class is full of nervous kindergarteners. Leach's sepia-toned scenes reveal an inclusive group of kids lined up to go inside, all of whom have apprehensive faces, except for Alice, who appears in full color. Alice smiles at Lucas, Lucas greets Jasmine, Jasmine passes the class guinea pig to Xavier, and so on. With each friendly gesture, a soft ribbon of color passes between the characters, who then appear in bold, vibrant hues for the rest of the story. By the end of the day, everyone, including the teacher and school janitor, moves from a muted, monochromatic palette to bright, cheerful color, a tidy visual signal of how small gestures of kindness can turn a day around. Though there are plenty of books on similar themes, McAnulty and Leach's benefits from the strong imagery, which could be particularly useful for pre-readers nervous about starting school for the first time. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 02/12/2021 PreS-Gr 1—On the first day of school, a classroom full of nervous students turn trepidation into joy by practicing small acts of kindness. The day starts with the school depicted entirely in sepia tones alongside the text, "It was like a game of tag." One child, Alice, appears in full color, piquing reader interest and curiosity. As Alice begins the chain of kindness with a smile directed at Lucas, the colors spread from person to person, with a shimmering trail of rainbow colors. Alongside the colors, the expanding kindness brings smiles and a shift in attitude. The acts are all simple: a compliment, holding a door, making someone laugh. A teacher and janitor are included. In the end, the kindness circles back to Alice, the school fully colored, with the text, "It was like a game of tag. And everyone won." The simplicity of the story makes it accessible to children, who will understand the direct effect of acts in changing an environment. There is a range of skin colors—pale to brown—and two children have visible physical issues. VERDICT Recommended for purchase as a solid addition to the "starting school" shelf as well as for the frequently requested topic of kindness.—Clara Hendricks, Cambridge P.L., MA - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.