Bound To Stay Bound

View MARC Record
 

Full Text Reviews:

School Library Journal - 02/01/2015 PreS-K—Caroline Crocodile is not at all fond of her baby brother and can't understand why Mama Crocodile spends her time on him. One day, while her mother goes to a hat shop to make an exchange, Caroline spies The Baby Shop and sets out to make an exchange of her own. She trades her sibling for a series of other baby animals, including a panda, an elephant, and twin tigers. But each swap presents unexpected problems, and she is left with just one conclusion— that her baby brother is the right choice for her. Joyner's bright, busy illustrations evoke the work of Bernard Waber and H.A. Rey—a perfect fit for the timeless, classic feel of Ormerod's text. Giggles will ensue as the ridiculousness escalates. VERDICT Whether used one-on-one or in storytime, this engaging story will tickle kids' funny bones.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 05/01/2015 Young Caroline Crocodile is jealous of her baby brother, so when her mother leaves the drooling baby reptile in Caroline’s care, Caroline heads to the Baby Shop in hopes of trading him in for a more satisfactory model. She first trades him for a baby panda, but when they go to a café for a snack, the panda eats his bamboo chair (and Caroline’s). Next she tries a baby elephant but a visit to a fountain ends in water everywhere and a broken fountain. Twin baby tigers seem cute but wreak havoc in the toy store. Finally she settles on swapping them back for her own baby brother, who has gained a tooth in her absence (“That is why he was dribbling!” she realizes). The premise in this Australian import of offloading an affection-usurping baby will have undeniable appeal among green-eyed older siblings. The sturdy structure of the storyline helps balance some of the situational ridiculousness, and there’s catharsis in the idea of temporarily giving away one’s sibling but reuniting in the end. Joyner’s art is a delight, with a retro sensibility (reminiscent of the work of H. A. Rey or Margaret Bloy Graham) in both the dynamic figures smudgily outlined in black and the muted tones of the coloration. Modern touches (such as a llama checking his smart phone while crossing the street) make it clear that this is the present day, however, and kids will enjoy poring over the details of the scenery. Use this to add a bit of bite to a babies-themed storytime, or pull it out to sympathetically share with an older sib once the shine has worn off that infant who’s taken over the household. JH - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

View MARC Record
Loading...



  • Copyright © Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy Policy