Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/01/2023 *Starred Review* Three stories weave together into an affectionate celebration of familial love and the possibilities of nurtured youth. “Tonight I hold your hands, so small they fit inside my own,” a narrator reflects, as readers are offered a glimpse inside the first of three neighboring townhomes. With tender simplicity, through minimal text and exceptional illustrative interpretation, we spend time with three families, each with a young child, and witness how simple events like wading at the beach or sharing a homegrown tomato can convey extraordinary love. Time passes, and, though the neighbors’ lives overlap, the focus remains on the caregivers’ adoration of their children. “Soon, your hands . . . will tell stories only you know how to tell. And they will grow.” Stutzman (Bear is a Bear, 2021) crafts another gentle read-aloud seemingly designed for bedtime sharing. Lilly (Let Me Fix You a Plate, 2021) enhances the spare yet affirming text with bright illustrations in nib pen, ink, and watercolor washes. Her detailed and inclusive drawings are warm and expressive and delightfully capture the individuality and diversity of each family without sacrificing continuity of the story line. One child, Reyna, is deaf and speaks American Sign Language (ASL) with her family; an ASL glossary is included. A gorgeous rendering of how everyday moments can convey a lifetime of wonder and security. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

Booklist - 02/15/2023 *Starred Review* Three stories weave together into an affectionate celebration of familial love and the possibilities of nurtured youth. “Tonight I hold your hands, so small they fit inside my own,” a narrator reflects, as readers are offered a glimpse inside the first of three neighboring townhomes. With tender simplicity, through minimal text and exceptional illustrative interpretation, we spend time with three families, each with a young child, and witness how simple events like wading at the beach or sharing a homegrown tomato can convey extraordinary love. Time passes, and, though the neighbors’ lives overlap, the focus remains on the caregivers’ adoration of their children. “Soon, your hands . . . will tell stories only you know how to tell. And they will grow.” Stutzman (Bear is a Bear, 2021) crafts another gentle read-aloud seemingly designed for bedtime sharing. Lilly (Let Me Fix You a Plate, 2021) enhances the spare yet affirming text with bright illustrations in nib pen, ink, and watercolor washes. Her detailed and inclusive drawings are warm and expressive and delightfully capture the individuality and diversity of each family without sacrificing continuity of the story line. One child, Reyna, is deaf and speaks American Sign Language (ASL) with her family; an ASL glossary is included. A gorgeous rendering of how everyday moments can convey a lifetime of wonder and security. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 11/17/2023 PreS-K—Within a vibrant community of loving families are children who, while small for now, will soon use their hands to achieve great things. Much like Dr. Seuss's Oh, the Places You'll Go!, this book is both a heartfelt promise and a love letter from caregivers to their children. Three families are featured, and while each one only includes one child, the skin colors, family makeup, and daily activities differ. Two male parents, one girl with hearing aids, and one intergenerational family enhance the diversity of the story through their representation of various family types. Illustrations created with pen and watercolor use a plethora of color to amplify the uniqueness found in each person while depicting how those qualities can build a rainbow of connection. Very little text is used, which can make it accessible to younger readers, though the overall subtlety of the narrative is best suited to those with the patience to decipher it. A lovely addition to the story is the use of American Sign Language in several of the images, as well as a glossary at the end describing the signs and how to replicate them. There is already great detail to investigate in the illustrations, and the use of ASL provides a dynamic and memorable layer to share with young children. VERDICT This heartwarming book is best suited to a lap read with a patient child and a loving caregiver.—Mary R. Lanni - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.