Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/01/2020 When a little, brown-skinned girl falls off her bike while learning to ride, she decides to never try again—but then she comes upon the Magical Yet. The Yet, a small, fairy creature resembling a pink flower, reminds the girl of past accomplishments that, at one time, seemed impossible: crawling, walking, and talking. The Yet encourages her—and other children—to overcome obstacles and follow their dreams. DiTerlizzi’s clear, rhythmic, rhyming text makes for a perfect read-aloud option, though young readers may want an up-close look at Alvarez’s energetic and colorful illustrations. The depictions of difficult situations, such as learning to ride a bike, learning to dance, or practicing painting, are sure to strike a chord with children struggling to pick up something new, and the positive outcomes brought on by practice and perseverance are sure to inspire readers to never give up. A lovely addition to picture-book collections. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 PreS-Gr 1—A child with brown skin and curly brown hair stands sadly in the rain next to a bike with a crumpled front wheel, then picks up the bike and starts riding. On the way, the child discovers a small glowing orb that blooms into an adorable flowery creature, the titular Magical Yet! The text explains that everyone has a Yet, a helpful reminder to keep striving, whatever their goal may be. With the Yet's encouragement, the young child repairs the bike and tries the hill again, this time riding triumphantly off into the sunset. DiTerlizzi's rhyming text flows crisply across each page, and the creative wordplay employs parentheses, colons, and ellipses to help create a dramatic and musical reading. Bright, geometric, illustrations with a warm and rich color palette show an incredibly diverse set of young enthusiasts painting, playing, and creating in all sorts of media. Special attention is given to a young male dancer, who is then shown as an adult soaring gracefully across the page. Thoughtful details abound, such as on the final pages where we see the main character, now grown, surrounded by pictures of bike journeys taken in far-off lands, bike blueprints, designs, and awards. VERDICT An inclusive and joyful addition to most libraries.—Laken Hottle, Providence Community Library - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.