Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 Gr 1–3—Young Iris loves elevators. She especially loves when her parents let her push the button. However, her relationship to elevators—and to her little brother—changes when he starts pushing the buttons. How rude! In an act of rebellion, Iris pushes all the buttons and breaks the elevator. When she finds the busted button panel in the garbage, she tapes it up near her closet to create an imaginary elevator of her very own. What wondrous places will it take her? All the text is speech bubbles and narration from Iris's point of view. Santat's illustrations carry the emotional heart of the story. The characters have expressive features—their eyes show frustration, wonder, and curiosity. Square panels are framed with thick black lines that convey the safe, enclosed feeling Iris has when she's inside an elevator. Yet when the elevator takes her to a jungle or into outer space, the thick frames melt away, leaving readers with awe-inspiring, full-bleed panels. The panoramic sights make Iris's eyes go wide with amazement—and older readers may be stunned, too. In the end, Iris decides to share the fabulous magical elevator with her brother after all. VERDICT Beautiful art enhances an uplifting story that encourages readers to share secret wonders with one another—even annoying kid siblings.—Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill Public Library, MA - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/15/2020 *Starred Review* Iris cherishes the simple pleasure of pushing the elevator buttons whenever her family comes or goes from their apartment building—that is, until her toddler brother starts pushing them instead. Feeling betrayed, Iris sulks until she finds an elevator button panel, discarded by a repairman, in the trash. After smuggling the treasure into her room, she tapes it to the wall. When she pushes the button for comfort—DING!—a door opens. Each time she steps through, it takes her to another faraway escape. She visits a tiger-inhabited jungle and the International Space Station, and when she’s finally moved to share her adventures, she takes her little brother along too. The magical pairing of Lê and Santat (Drawn Together, 2018) returns with another poignant family drama steeped in cinematic imagination, this time focused on the stress of having a younger sibling. The text itself is spare, offering narration from Iris when needed—which is not often, as the story is beautifully told through Santat’s expressive characters and dynamic panels of sequential art. Indeed, every visual element is hard at work, leaving a trail of details that prompts attentive readers to question whether they are witnessing wizardry or simple imagination. Either way, it’s an entirely immersive experience that children will reach for, again and again, like their own magic button. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 04/15/2020 - Copyright 2020 Booklist.