Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/15/2023 *Starred Review* Everyone’s favorite robot is back! Cue the environmentally friendly confetti cannons! After adapting to island life in The Wild Robot (2016) and surviving the dangers of the city in The Wild Robot Escapes (2018), Roz faces her biggest challenge yet. Alarming rumors about a “Poison Tide” have reached Roz’s island home, carried by animals fleeing its toxic touch. When the deadly waters reach the island’s shore, withering plants and killing fish, the animals work together to save their sea-dwelling friends by moving them inland to a pond. The strain of close quarters and more limited resources begins to take its toll on the residents, however, especially when combined with the pervasive fear caused by this new threat. A small mishap leads Roz to discover that not only is she waterproof, but the Poison Tide doesn’t hurt her. Determined to find the source of the tide and stop it, Roz swims forth to meet the unknown enemy. The stakes feel even higher in this third adventure, as Brown smoothly incorporates real-world themes of climate change and human-caused pollution without turning the book into a “problem novel.” Action and epic confrontations keep the plot swimming along, but there are meaningfully punctuated moments of humor and kindness. Roz continues to learn and grow, and Brown’s superb illustrations make her journey truly unforgettable. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.