Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 03/24/2025 The protagonist of this self-acceptance tale by Liu (Hidden Gem) is a chunky, yellow-green star with big, earnest-looking eyes and a seemingly clear sense of purpose: "I twinkle, tiptoe, and dance,/ looking for wishes to grant." A self-described "overachiever," the being nevertheless struggles to handle the dog-eat-dog world of astronomical life, where stars compete to "be number one:/ The star that lost souls wish upon." Sweating the pressure, it plummets from the sky in what looks like a teardrop-shaped aura. But when two sailors discover the fallen star on Earth and set it in a lighthouse’s lantern room, it realizes, "I’m exactly where I need to be," guiding ships to safety. Single-plane, full-spread watercolor and digital images, rendered with tissue-paper textures, rounded shapes, and a fanciful sense of scale, depict the star entering Earth’s atmosphere through a literal crack in the sky. While the rhyming text can be workmanlike ("Now I’m upstaged by the lights in Paris," says the narrator, "Don’t look at me; I’m so embarrassed"), the visuals demonstrate the joy of finding where one truly belongs. Human characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4-6. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (June) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 04/11/2025 PreS-Gr 3—A star has one job, to shine as bright as it can. That is what this little star does every night, it works to be the brightest star in the night sky. Every star wants the job to be the one people wish upon during the night. But what happens when a star cannot keep up and be the brightest? What happens when a star becomes a falling star? What job is left then? This great social-emotional learning story is a reminder that not everyone is the "brightest star" and that is okay. Through following Star's fall from the sky, readers see that sometimes a person is supposed to be great at something else. While the story is meant for young children, the message is a universal one that could resonate with older ones. The illustrations provide a great contrast in emotions, with Star shining brightly against a darker background in the beginning, then starting to blend in as it fades and falls. The emotions are clearly demonstrated through the illustrations. VERDICT A compelling reminder to readers that they do not have to be the brightest to be important. A good addition to any SEL collection.—Richard Winters - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.