Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2020 Gr 1–3—One night, as a young boy goes to bed, he tells his mother that he is not afraid of monsters. The monster who lives under the bed hears the boy and decides to show him the error of his ways, but things go awry when the boy starts to scream and the monster accidentally swallows him. Together, the monster and the boy solve problems, journey through the house, and meet up with the boy's precocious little sister before finally falling asleep. Young readers will find friends in monster and boy. On most of the pages, Syed's silly and inviting illustrations are rendered in black, white, and teal and perfectly complement the duo's amusing antics. The first line of each chapter is in teal and a different font, which may be challenging for early readers, but the rest of the text is easy to read with plenty of white space. Barnaby directly addresses the reader a few times throughout the story, as well as changes tenses. Newly emergent readers may find this style choice challenging, but it could work well as a teaching tool for slightly older readers or in a read-aloud setting. Otherwise, the language is straightforward and the illustrations work in tandem to support the text. VERDICT This whimsical pair will be a hit with those looking for a playful, adventurous story for early independent chapter book readers. Most collections serving this age range will benefit from this addition.—Ellen Conlin, Naperville P.L., IL - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2020 *Starred Review* A beautiful friendship gets off to a rocky start when a boy is accidentally swallowed by the mild-mannered monster beneath his bed. Taking a seat with her audience, the author invites readers to supply names for the characters themselves and admits that she, too, has no idea what’s coming. A later comment that “stories have a way of getting carried away, don’t they?” well and truly sums up what happens next, as by the time the boy is coughed up a few hours later, he’s shrunk to the size of a hamster. Among other adventures, he runs into what his frazzled companion dubs his little “sister-monster” on a wee-hours expedition down to the kitchen for snacks, is chucked into the toilet, and delightedly gets to munch on a cookie that is, to him, the size of a sled. Turquoise highlights both illuminate and visually bind the well-leaded text and Syed’s frequent line drawings. The monster resembles an unfrightening blend of Wild Thing and plush teddy, and though the tale takes a shivery twist with the revelation that reality is actually based on the dreams of monsters, all ends in happy giggles. By morning, he’s back to original size and, it turns out, that toilet had just been cleaned. Which is still gross, but not so much, right? - Copyright 2020 Booklist.