Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2017 *Starred Review* From the husband-and-wife team behind When Spring Comes (2016) comes another stirring picture book about the changing seasons. Creating a sense of immediacy, the narrative starts “in the middle of fall, when the leaves have already turned,” while the acrylic illustrations vividly contrast the oranges and yellows of the land with the gray sky. A child in a hooded jacket surveys the scene from a swing attached to a tree. The perspective shifts to a higher view of squirrels in the treetop, then moves to ground level to show dried up plants, and expands to a wide shot of a pumpkin patch, followed by a close-up of apples. Scene by scene, the story builds to the wind blowing leaves everywhere, obscuring the view. As the leaves settle to the ground, a two-page spread employs small medallion illustrations to review the previous pictures and then sets the stage for the next act—winter. Masterfully conceived and executed, this perfectly captures the sights and feelings many children experience during the transition from fall to winter. For those who don’t live in temperate climates where leaves change color, it beautifully evokes how the shift happens—first slowly, then quickly—and helps them understand the transformation. With back endpapers filled with snowflakes, hopefully Henkes and Dronzek are hinting at a forthcoming book about winter. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Scores of readers were enchanted by Henkes and Dronzek’s When Spring Comes; expect big turnout for the award-winning pair’s follow-up. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2017 PreS-Gr 2—In this lovely companion to When Spring Comes, poetic text and lush-hued acrylic paintings depict a rural setting fully turned to autumn. Leaves shimmer orange and yellow, "the sky is mostly gray/and the air is chilly," "frisky" squirrels gather nuts, plump pumpkins stand ready for the picking, and apples hang from tree branches "like ornaments." A red-jacketed girl and her dog, along with other cozily clad children and busy woodland animals, engage in outdoor activities as the tranquil ambience builds. Then, suddenly, with "one big gust of wind" (and a whirl of colorful leaves depicted in a motion-filled spread), "everything/is yellow/and red/and orange." The moment resonates, as the child catches a drifting orange leaf, then romps in a just-raked pile. Readers are encouraged to remember the details of fall (circled insets provide helpful visual clues), for soon all of its glories will fade and the sky will change again. Delightful details and sensory-rich images pack the pages, celebrating the tangible characteristics of the season while conveying the sense of wonder inherent in nature's transformations. VERDICT A must-have for autumn storytimes and investigations, this exquisite picture book will inspire youngsters to get outdoors and observe the world around them.—Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.