Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2017 This picture book on friendship pulls together a variety of color photos with phrases such as “Young friends, old friends. Smart friends, funny friends. New friends, best friends, family friends, and more friends next door. Furry friends and feathered friends too.” With just a few words on each double-page spread, there’s plenty of space for the pictures, which show up well on the white or solid-color pages. The photos depict pairs and larger groups of people, almost always children, either looking at the camera or engaged in activities together. While the overall quality of the photos is good, the kids sometimes look posed or self-conscious. The people photographed are racially diverse, and the double-page spread for “Friends with different ways to walk. Friends with different ways to talk” includes a boy in a wheelchair and two people using sign language. Given the demand for preschool and primary-grade books on friendship, particularly in the fall, many libraries will want to have this volume on hand. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2017 PreS-Gr 1—The many faces of friendship are celebrated in this glorious visual display. There is no story line here—just the juxtaposition of diverse qualities that can serve to open young children's minds to the idea that comfort and pleasure come from people of all shapes, sizes, ages, skin colors, backgrounds, and abilities. "Friends with different ways to walk/ Friends with different ways to talk/ Friends with different faces and families from different places." Numerous types of relationships are shown; children of various ages interact with parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers, classmates, and neighbors. The bond between people and animals is acknowledged, too, with endearing glimpses of kids with dogs, cats, birds, and on horseback. Examples of both indoor and outdoor fun are included in all seasons of the year. The spare language is lovely and the minimal text allows the photos to shine. This joyful composition is aesthetically pleasing on its own, but would also be a useful resource for promoting classroom togetherness and community spirit. VERDICT An ideal book to share with preschoolers and primary grade children, this one drives home the point that every living creature—regardless of strengths or limitations—deserves a friend.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.