Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2012 PreS-K—Long borrows from the Mo Willems school of minimalist humor in this early reader about a flock of funny birds trying to outdo one another. The three stories utilize repetition of very few words ("I am tall." "You are not tall." "I may not be tall. But I am not small"), but the accompanying illustrations greatly enrich the spare text with bright colors and charming cartoons, making this a fun first venture into reading alone. The book has one shortcoming: the pages are flimsy and do not lie flat, so the flaps catch when opened or closed, so longevity is definitely a concern. Otherwise, the silly birds and their games of one-upmanship are definitely giggle-worthy.—Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 03/15/2012 Feeling small in a giant world is a scenario every young child will recognize. A small, orange bird feels tall until a bigger purple bird says he is tall. A lift of the page flap reveals a small, green bird that has jumped up high on a branch to be taller than them all. Then there is a penguin, who can’t fly, but the other three birds give him a set of balloons, and he begins to soar: “I am up!” More action comes when a bird on the ground joins one in the tree, but the branch breaks and both fall down. Luckily, a page flap folds back to show that their friends have come to help them up. With its uncluttered images in opaque colors and thick black lines, sturdy pages, and lift-the-flap surprises, this story about power plays turned upside down will delight both preschoolers and beginning readers alike. - Copyright 2012 Booklist.