Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 04/28/2025 Mata’s introspective solo picture book debut centers new-kid-at-school experiences while imagining many possibilities for the word new. An unnamed narrator kicks off the word’s variations, explaining that "even as Mama helps me dress in hand-me-down clothes, and as Tatay packs my favorite lunch in recycled containers.... I am new." Walking to school, "new is exciting," reminiscent of freshly sharpened pencils and "the thrill of my first autumn breeze." Close observations and anticipations are rendered in full color, until arrival at school establishes a shift to desaturated hues. There, at last, a new pal returns bright moments to the telling; though the two speak different languages, their initial encounters blossom into friendship and "joy-a joy that knows no boundaries." The protagonist cues as of Filipino heritage; background characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. Ages 4-8. (May) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 06/20/2025 K-Gr 2—This picture book opens with a beautiful dedication: "To every 'new' kid braving a new world. I see you. You belong." Mata forges boldly into the territory of being the new kid, teaching young readers the importance of hope, persistence, and empathy. A girl whose family is from the Philippines imagines what her first day in a new school will be like, expecting to meet friends and to have a wonderful time. When she gets there, she finds no one who looks anything like her, and her unfamiliarity with the school's culture immediately marks her as a stranger. The school setting is initially bereft of color. Muted tones paint a cold, bleak outlook. The use of color is reserved initially for the protagonist and her family, while the diverse cast of classmates are shown in gray-white tones. When a Latinx student arrives, the setting itself becomes full color once more. The girls don't understand one another verbally, but other forms of communication allow them to become fast friends. The language shifts to poetry as the friendship blossoms: "New is a hop, a skip, and a giggle./ New is the hand that brings us together." VERDICT Mata's book will appeal to students entering a new school as well as to anyone who has felt like an outsider. It's sure to be a hit.—Benjamin Ludwig - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.