Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 09/01/2022 Gr 3–6—In this zany graphic novel, a two-headed chicken learns the basics of multiverse travel. One of our hero's heads is a stand-in for "you," the reader. The other is a science whiz who creates an Astrocap, a blue-and-red-antennaed beanie that allows its wearer to hop from world to world. Two-Headed Chicken launches across time and space to avoid being devoured by Kernel Antlers, a wily, chicken-hungry moose. However, obstacles and surprises await on every stop of this mission. Two-Headed Chicken travels through many universes—a pencil-drawn one, one where chickens drive cars, one in which our hero is the Mona Lisa, and so on. At each destination, Antlers is still in hungry pursuit. Will Two-Headed Chicken ever find a place to rest? In addition to the main story, this book has mazes, puzzles, activities, and various philosophical asides from a fish with a mustache. There is something fun for every reader! Ellis's colors are distinct and add much to the excitement. Angleberger writes the first chapter as a humorous primer on the concepts of the multiverse. The entire plot rests on what would be an incomprehensible stew of ideas in another creator's hands; however, Angleberger explains these ideas in a manner accessible to younger readers. The drawings and page layouts are frenetic, capturing all the excitement of this hilarious journey. VERDICT Readers who enjoy Aaron Blabey's "Bad Guys" series and Dav Pilkey's various universes will love this first book in what is sure to be a beloved series.—Jennie Law - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 09/01/2022 - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 09/01/2022 - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 07/01/2022 *Starred Review* In a multiverse, there are infinite yous. In this particular story, you are one head of a two-headed chicken. Your sister is the other head, and she’s so smart she invented an Astrocap that charges in 42 seconds to let you jump universes, which is crucial, because in every universe you are being chased by an enraged green moose named Kernel Antlers who wants to fry and eat you. As you pop through universes at lightning speed, narrowly escaping death after death with a dimension-traveling “Bzooop!” you run into a hybrid duck-owl fellow-multiverse-traveler, Duckter Whooo, who explains that you must confront and defeat Kernel Antlers to end it all. And, oh yeah, there’s also a mustachioed fish who interrupts the story to talk about feelings, storytime from Granny Goosefoot (whose face is literally the foot of a goose), multiple-choice quizzes, a Where’s Waldo? page, a choose-your-own-path option, and in one universe, you are painting a watercolor of a screenshot of a reaction video you made about a driving video game that you played (phew!). This is as deliciously original and absurdly wacky as any Angleberger creation. The digital artwork combines off-kilter, hilarious, and wonderfully disruptive graphic novel animation with old-fashioned multimedia collage and incorporates warped space photos from the NASA archives. It is knee-slappingly funny and utterly original at every level, from its meta conceptualization to its second-person narration style, and it’s as quick and easy to devour as fried chicken. Don't let it bzooop away! - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

Booklist - 07/01/2022 - Copyright 2022 Booklist.