Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2014 K-Gr 2—Hal and his younger sister Martha are constantly trying to outdo each other. They squabble over who will be the first to pack their bags for a picnic, jump in the river, and build the highest rock tower. But the siblings change their ways after taking a new path home filled with many unpleasant "firsts " that force them to help each other rather than compete. Set in the countryside with rolling green hills and brown cottages, the donkey characters dress in human clothing. The old-fashioned illustrations are appropriate for this fable-like tale. It takes place over the course of a single day, and the artwork helps readers transition from the sunny summer morning to the shady twilight of evening. The full-page paintings alternate with smaller ones set against ample white space providing visual variety. The composition and line work of the acrylic ink is excellent, and the straightforward text is a combination of narrative and dialogue with the occasional use of speech bubbles that serves the sequential story well. The large trim size, boldly outlined illustrations, and easily readable text make this a good choice for group sharing. This story of sibling rivalry will have broad appeal, especially for parents looking to emphasize the importance of teamwork.—Amy Seto Musser, Denver Public Library - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 05/01/2014 Little donkeys Hal and Martha quarrel the way that older brothers and younger sisters do. They happily argue about everything and never miss an opportunity to turn any circumstance into a competition. One afternoon, the family heads out for a picnic lunch, and Hal and Martha decide to follow a new path home through the woods. Along the way, they one-up each other until Martha goes a step too far and tumbles into a creek bed. The pair joins forces to get her out and return home safe, sound, and a little wiser. The playful figures brim with personality as they argue and cavort in a setting of lush, full-bleed, earth-tone landscapes, all of it captured in Kornell’s jaunty, saturated ink drawings. With a tender story and appealing aesthetic, this outing will easily win over storytime audiences. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2014 Donkey siblings Hal and Martha are constantly trying to top each other, despite their parens’ protestations. Following a day at the river steeped in arguments and outdoings, Hal and Martha are granted permission to head home without their parents. They unsurprisingly find opportunities to challenge each other along the way, but the tide turns when a log bridge snaps and Martha falls into the creek. Hal helps her up, and a new sense of compassion and concern overtakes their relationship. That evening, they compete not to prove themselves but to show kindness to each other, and in the comical final pages, Mom and Dad argue over who first noticed the improved behavior. Kornell’s family tale offers a refreshing twist on the typical sibling-rivalry plot that works to good effect; the shift between the sibs is largely inferred, but it is this quiet transformation that lends meaning. The story’s warmth is effectively balanced by the illustrations’ acrylic washes, whereon natural blues, greens, and browns predominate. This may prove just the story for approaching the topic of sibling competition in a family, but it will draw plenty of viewers for its balance of humor and poignancy alone. HM - Copyright 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.