Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2024 K-Gr 2—Ava Lin starts first grade tomorrow and her mission is to find a best friend. Her older cousin Nikki is in fifth grade and has had a best friend since first grade, so Ava is determined to find out how to get one as soon as possible. At family dinner, Ava sees Nikki's bedazzled notebook and is enchanted. At school, Ava is pretty sure Kushi would make a great best friend, but when Ava offers her a jewel she found on her desk (thinking she'd politely decline like adults do), and Kushi accepts, Ava is devastated. Ava's dad explains that while it's great to share with a friend, you should only do it if you actually mean it. Ava and Kushi end up sharing snacks at lunch and decorating their notebooks together. Adults will have a hard time stifling laughs as Ava describes her mom's breathing techniques when she inadvertently washes a black crayon, or when she needs to bring Ava to the doctor to have a pebble removed from her ear. Ava's descriptions of events and objects are exactly what you'd expect from a six-and-a-half-year-old and make the story all the more enjoyable for kids and the adults who love them. The grayscale illustrations perfectly capture snippets of Ava's life and character expressions, adding even more enjoyment to the story. VERDICT This sweet friendship story from the perspective of an enthusiastic first grader is a must for most libraries.—Shana Shea - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.