Bound To Stay Bound

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 When the babies came to stay
 Author: McDonnell, Christine

 Publisher:  Viking (2020)

 Classification: Easy
 Physical Description: [36] p., col. ill., 23 x 27 cm

 BTSB No: 624123 ISBN: 9781984835451
 Ages: 2-5 Grades: K

 Subjects:
 Orphans -- Fiction
 Infants -- Fiction
 Foster home care -- Fiction
 Islands -- Fiction

Price: $6.50

Summary:
A lighthearted tale about orphaned babies left on an island.

 Illustrator: Bradley, Jeanette

Reviews:
   Kirkus Reviews (12/01/19)
   School Library Journal (01/01/20)
   Booklist (02/01/20)
 The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/02/20)

Full Text Reviews:

School Library Journal - 01/01/2020 PreS-Gr 1—Four babies arrive on an island; one is flown in with the mail, two arrive by boat, and one is found asleep on a pile of fishing nets on the dock. Each child has a note attached requesting that the babies be raised well, given shelter, and kept safe. No one knows where the two girls and two boys came from and it's difficult to find someone willing to care for all of them. "Then I'll do it myself," says the stalwart island librarian. The babies, all with differing skin colors and hair textures are welcomed into her home. Though the librarian takes them to live with her, she does not have to raise the children alone. As the youngsters grow, the harbormaster, the ferryman, and a fisherman teach the children about island life. Charming pastel illustrations, which are digitally painted, vary from vignettes to single pages and spreads, revealing the cozy living arrangements. Life above the library, sleeping in cribs made from lobster traps, and learning about all the wonders of the island combine to create an idyllic childhood. VERDICT This delightful tale is the embodiment of the African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child."—Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 02/01/2020 One eventful day on an unnamed island, four babies arrive, all needing homes. One girl comes by plane, hidden in a mailbag. Two boys are found in a canvas carrier on the ferry, and the last little girl is discovered sleeping in fish nets. The infants have notes asking that they be cared for, and so the harbormaster, ferryman, fisherman, mayor, and librarian work together to create space in the town library for the babies—now named Agatha, Bram, Charles, and Dorothy. McDonnell’s whimsical story has a fairy-tale quality to it, thanks to the mysterious joint arrival, the uncomplicated way the librarian, Eleanor Book, adopts the children, and the idyllic island setting. Bradley’s pictures contribute to the magical tone by portraying Agatha in a hot-air balloon, Bram and Charles in a small sailboat, and Dorothy with a mermaid’s tail. Loose, flowing illustrations have the look of watercolors, pen, and ink. A gentle, loving story that will be appreciated by book lovers and many kinds of families. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

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