Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 06/01/2024 *Starred Review* Budding bibliophiles will embrace this celebration of the pleasures of reading, in which a wide array of children sing the praises of their favorite book. Strolling in the rain, a girl holds an umbrella with one hand, snugly clutches a treasured tome with the other, and proudly announces, “This is my book. / My favorite book. / I carry it with me / wherever I go.” A child totes their well-worn storybook in a backpack and fondly describes its signature lived-in features: “There’s jam on the cover / from yesterday’s toast / and crayon inside / from when I was little.” A young bookworm reads aloud “. . . to the seventeen / worms in a jar.” With great aplomb, Newbery Medalist Park’s jaunty rhythmic verse captures the magic of the printed word to captivate (“I don’t hear you call. / I can’t come right now. / I’m too far away / in the world of my book.”), comfort (“We read it together. / Again and again, / and, please, just once more?”), and inspire (“I know every word. / They’re right here inside me. / I say them out loud / whenever I want”). Caldecott Medalist Raschka’s bright and joyous watercolor illustrations offer a peek at pages from some of the children’s personal picks (including a book in braille). A jubilant love song to literacy. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.