Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 03/01/2018 PreS-K—Beginning with some modest black-and-white critters and the titular greeting, Wenzel introduces a dazzling variety of animals grouped in unexpected ways by pattern ("Hello Stripes Hello Spots"), anatomical features ("Hello Tongue, Ears, Hands, and Nose"), sounds (Hello Roars, Peeps, Chirps, and Chants") and many other criteria, each description a part of a rhyming poem spread out across the book. Set against ample white backgrounds, Wenzel's mixed media illustrations pop with astounding textures and colors, somewhat reminiscent of Steve Jenkins's work, but considerably more caricature in style with googly eyes and exaggerated shapes. The dizzying parade culminates in a spread of all of the animals together, "A world to see A world to know Where to begin? Hello Hello." A note from the author explains that these animals are some of the author's favorites but are tragically endangered; Wenzel urges readers to discover more about them to better the conservation efforts. An illustrated list of animals is helpfully included, listing the names of all pictured animals and their threatened status. VERDICT Deceptively simple but gorgeously realized, with a powerful statement about celebrating and protecting the Earth's fauna in all its diverse (yet interconnected) splendor.—Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 03/01/2018 *Starred Review* Bursting with energy and stuffed to the brim with animals from across the globe, this latest from Caldecott Honor Book creator Wenzel (They All Saw a Cat, 2016) is more than an average bestiary. In simple, rhyming text that’s suited both to emerging readers and storytime read-alouds, Wenzel displays a colorful (and, for that matter, not colorful, too) array of animals big and small, ordinary and strange, from the land and from the sea. The vibrantly illustrated animals, all sporting Wenzel’s trademark adorably bugged eyes, pop against a white background as they greet one another: “Hello Hello / Black and White / Hello Color / Hello Bright.” There are certainly some recognizable critters here (lions, tigers, and bears all claim page space, as do two young, diverse humans themselves), but plenty of others are more unusual (narwhals, tamarins, echidnas). Others still may be entirely new for young readers (mud puppies, an aardwolf, kiwis). For the curious, a final four-page spread identifies each creature by their silhouette. In an author’s note, Wenzel gently touches on conservation, explaining that each animal is a vital part of an ecosystem, and that many shown here are threatened or endangered. The first step to saving these animals, he says, is learning about them, and this vivacious, utterly appealing early STEM offering will surely inspire young readers to do just that. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.