Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/08/2023 Even young children understand that the heart is important to the human body, but what exactly does this vital organ do? Physician and Newbery Honor Book author LaRocca explains some of its characteristics through a series of free verse poems. Beginning with “Your heart is SINGULAR,” each poem uses a descriptive adjective to introduce specific heart facts. Following with “Your heart is COOPERATIVE,” which further explains how this singular organ works as a team with the cardiovascular system, LaRocca sets up more seemingly contradictory pairs of adjectives, such as the heart’s SIMPLE squeezes-fills-repeats pattern to its COMPLEX pump made of four heart chambers. She tempers a plethora of information with light, accessible text that doesn’t bog down readers with too many details. Similarly, colorful, geometric illustrations featuring children with a range of skin colors, hairstyles, and physical abilities provide just enough visual cues to understand such concepts as how the heart works like a dropper and its electrical signals. Back matter with more heart facts related to each adjective adds to this charming STEAM collection. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.