Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2014 PreS-Gr 2—"'I'm bored,'" Penelope declares to her father. It has been raining and raining and raining. So Daddy asks what she'd do if she had her druthers. After he briefly explains what "druthers" means, Penelope lets her imagination sail. When she suggests going to the zoo, her father becomes a gorilla on the staircase; when she decides to be a cowgirl, they rustle up and wrangle some stuffed animals; and when she's a pirate captain, they sail off to the island of dinosaurs, and to the moon "for the biggest party ever." After spending so much play time with Daddy, Penelope decides that it might be nice if it rained the next day, too. This is a simple story with an underlying theme of parental love. The layout is clean and uncluttered, with only one or two sentences per spread. The book is suitable for bedtime, one-on-one sharing, or storytimes. The illustrations are realistic in nature and are rendered in ink and watercolor. With its theme of daddies and daughters interacting playfully and positively, this book will be suitable for inclusion in any picture book collection.—Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/01/2014 It is pouring outside, and Penelope is bored. Her daddy asks Penelope what she would do if she had her druthers (he supplies a wonderful definition), unleashing a storm of creative play. Penelope provides the ideas; Dad offers agreeable accompaniment. Staircase balusters become a cage at the zoo; the arms of the couch become horses. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations at first run with gray, reflecting the weather, and alternate between the pretend scene and the living room. But as Penelope’s imaginative play becomes more elaborate and delightfully improbable, colorful panoramas take precedence and follow each other in rapid succession. It all culminates in THE BIGGEST MOON PARTY EVER, involving lots of toys and more than a few arts-and-crafts projects. Daddy looks a bit paint-spattered and rumpled, but it is clear he would do it all again when Penelope gives him a big hug and wishes it would rain again tomorrow. Readers may hope for rain, too, and the chance to act this book out. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.