Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 09/01/2023 K-Gr 2—Narrated in first-person rhyming quatrains and told from the perspective of a lost loved one, this gentle title offers comfort to young readers coping with grief. The text reassures that love can still be felt even after loss: "Like the moon still shines/ when hidden by the sun,/ I'm here to guide you./ Your journey's just begun." It also offers suggestions for processing loss: "Write me a letter/ and share how you feel./ Your message will reach me/ and help you to heal." The quality of the verse is a bit uneven, though accessible throughout; Minor wraps sadness in encompassing language that does not limit this to a specific religion or belief system. Rahman's digital illustrations are soft and ethereal, depicting diverse skin tones, family structures, and stages of mourning; each spread shows a child or family moving through their grief in different ways, often with the spirit or memory of their loved one (pets included) incorporated into the art. VERDICT While the text may raise more questions than it answers, its tone is comforting and its myriad depictions of grief offer many entry points to which young readers may relate. Recommended for purchase where titles on loss are needed.—Lauren Strohecker - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.