Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/01/2016 PreS—A variety of dogs and their pups abound in this rhyming text extolling the virtues of fatherly love. Dads will play games and take their kids on grand adventures but also help with tough tasks like being brave or counting sheep when pups can't sleep. Costain's quaint story includes dads of all shapes and sizes, from poodles to huskies and everything in between. Lovšin's illustrations are playful and soft, depicting man's and puppy's best friend in touching and realistic renderings. Each page offers a new set of fathers and children, complete with a reason that dads are in fact awesome. The limited text and repetitive structure work together, making this an easy story for new readers. Families with young children will love sharing this tale together. - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 05/15/2016 With rhyming text and cheerful art, this picture book, first published in Australia, pays tribute to dads via sweet sentiments and scenarios featuring a variety of canine characters and their pups. For example, in “Daddies are playful. They swing you around,” a puppy hangs onto its dog-dad’s tail, while in “Daddies are daring. They’re brave and they’re strong, ” a husky pulls his little ones on a sled. Colorful, often cute depictions of the pooches against white backdrops blend realistic and cartoonish elements, though they don’t always concretely illustrate the concepts. Rather, they’re a bit more abstract and dog-centric; for example, “They hold your hand tightly and never let go” is paired with a dad and pup each holding the end of a branch in their mouths. While none of the breeds is named, the brief, straightforward sentences, large-font text, and sweet pictures of cute and happy pups are accessible for beginning readers and altogether an affectionate ode to father-child relationships that dog-lovers in particular will enjoy. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.