Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 07/23/2023 At the airport, a girl waits with her parents for her Iranian grandfather to arrive. Seeing him again, she suddenly feels shy—but not for long. After he unpacks, they sit together and make a game of cracking walnuts from his tree. They speak different languages, but their laughter bridges the gap. Later, they walk together through the rolling hills near her home. Though it appears to be late autumn and his visit will last through the winter, she wishes he could stay longer. At dinner, more relatives come to celebrate being together again. Watching snow fall that night, the girl hopes that her time with Grandpa will pass slowly. Similar in tone to Rosie and Groenink’s Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree (2022), this understated story focuses on another steadfast relationship between a child and a beloved family member. The verse text, written from the girl’s viewpoint, usually includes rhymes; it reads aloud beautifully, and the mixed-media illustrations portray the characters and landscape with becoming warmth and grace. A quiet, captivating picture book. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.