Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/01/2022 PreS-Gr 2—The authors known collectively as Kerascoët (I Walk with Vanessa) here provide a stunning wordless guidebook to the steps toward understanding and forgiveness. Bright watercolors, mood, facial expressions, and body language convey the various emotions that play out among students outside during recess. With smiles on their faces, they participate in various games such as basketball, marbles, and splashing through puddles. Groups of friends are engaged in their own activities until a red-haired child, Alex, carelessly dribbles a basketball and launches it into the air, accidentally ruining another student's art project. Shock and fear appear on each child's face and the focus is then on Alex, on the wrong end of angry stares from the other classmates. His joy turns to sadness and then embarrassment once he realizes what he has done, and he finds himself excluded from after-school playtime. His remorse is clearly shown. The art project's owner is the first to approach Alex, and the others follow. The next day, Alex tries to make up for his carelessness with a gift; a picture of Alex and his new buddy playing basketball with big smiles on their faces. At the end of the story are suggestions for adults helping children navigate these difficult, necessary choices. VERDICT A wonderful lesson in forgiveness and inclusion, and a fine choice for independent circulation.—Kerra Mazzariello - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 07/01/2022 Jointly known as Kerascoët, the creators of I Walk with Vanessa (2018) team up here to create another wordless story promoting tolerance. A young boy brings his art portfolio to school, laying out his masterpieces on a bench for his friends to admire. Nearby, classmate Alex is involved in a fierce game of basketball. One of Alex’s tosses goes wild, slamming into the bench and knocking the artist’s drawings into a puddle. The creator is devastated by this loss, and his classmates unite to ostracize Alex. Then Alex apologizes, and his sincere regrets are accepted, leading to a new friendship with surprisingly shared interests. The ink-and-watercolor cartoon illustrations include double-page spreads as well as smaller, unframed scenes that help move the narrative along. Much of the color is muted, but red is used effectively to focus attention on details like the artist’s backpack and Alex’s hair, shorts, and ball. Facial expressions are particularly apt in conveying emotions. Appended with an authors’ note discussing conflicts and forgiveness, this will be a useful addition to character-education lessons. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

Booklist - 07/01/2022 - Copyright 2022 Booklist.