Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 09/15/2023 *Starred Review* This is a lavishly illustrated celebration of India. The narrative flows as a grandmother selects souvenirs from her carved trunk and shares stories with her young granddaughter about landmarks, foods, cities, religions, cultural practices, writers and artists, gods and goddesses, and other historic and contemporary aspects that represent the incredible diversity of the world's most-populated country. Busy pages feature paragraphs of text, sidebars, maps, and diagrams gracefully placed within swirling, vibrant, mixed-media drawings that often sprawl across double-page spreads. Topics appear randomly, with a toy rocket ship prompting a discussion of the Indian space program and the Chandrayaan-2 moon orbiter followed by tinkling, belled ankle bracelets that evoke memories of centuries-old traditional dance movements. Words from non-English languages—including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Tamil—are sprinkled liberally throughout, either defined in context or translated through labeled images. The back matter includes an extensive time line, brief essays on Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian flag, a helpful index for both text and picture captions, and resources for additional information. Both browsers and researchers will be hooked by this irresistible, joyous survey. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 11/01/2023 Gr 2–5—Young Thara's nanijee (grandmother) has collected special objects from throughout India and kept them in a wooden trunk to cherish. Every Friday night, Nanijee pulls an object from the trunk and tells its special origin and tale. Opening with a gorgeous full-color spread that shows a map of India in mixed media, Bilan and Chakrabarti work brings India alive in an original narrative nonfiction format. Readers will feel as if they are also pulling each item out as they learn all about different regions, cultures, and stories throughout the vast expanse covering thousands of years of India. Unique illustrations and interesting side notes bring familiar sites, such as the Taj Mahal to life, while showcasing lesser-known facets, like gemstones, archways, and gardens. Those unfamiliar with India will undoubtedly find much to discover, such as the ancient cave paintings in the Bhimbetka caves, while those more familiar will expand their knowledge further. The oral method of having Nanijee and Thara look at and explore subjects, including the foods, religious festivals, and wildlife of India, is an appealing and approachable format. VERDICT This gem of a book is perfect for anyone wishing to learn more about India; it should find a place on the shelves of most libraries and classrooms.—Michele Shaw - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.