Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 03/01/2022 Known for his exuberance, Ezra can make any day seem extraordinary. When Jane joins his class, one look at her kind eyes, her rainbow barrettes, and the glittery soccer ball dangling from her backpack and he knows she’s going to be an extra-special friend. On the playground, Ezra begins a conversation and learns that she’s missing her nana. But his response, a song and silly dance, irritates Jane, who asks him to leave. After he confers with Mom, who advises, “When you want to make a friend, you have to listen to what they want,” Ezra tries a more restrained approach. And when Jane hears that Nana will be visiting soon, she and Ezra do a happy dance together. The concise, upbeat story has broad appeal, and Ezra’s mother’s advice could be helpful to many kids who, like Ezra, aren’t quite sure how to befriend someone. Created with black ink, graphite, and colored pencils, the illustrations feature strong, expressive lines and bright colors, which show up beautifully against the white pages. A satisfying picture book. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.