Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 01/14/2022 PreS-K—Told in rhyming couplets, this is a thrilling tale of an out-of-control fire, starring dark-skinned Roy Thunder and his green-eyed sidekick, Roto the Helicopter. A lightning strike in a canyon sparks an inferno that the pair have been called upon to quell. Bright cartoon illustrations reveal how Roto uses her long hose to suck up water from a lake to quench the blaze. Though the team has to swing between the lake and fire 10 times—the illustrations depict their path—they are victorious in extinguishing it. When the pair are heading home after completing their task, they observe a small dog in a precarious position, so they work together again to perform another heroic feat. Large digital illustrations set off sound words and onomatopoeia that add even more life to the exciting tale and increase the read-aloud quotient. Images appear in a variety of sizes. VERDICT Reminiscent of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Duskey Rinker's story of a human and a machine as a superhero team will be entertaining to youngsters.—Maryann H. Owen - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2022 Mighty firefighting pilot Big Roy Thunder may cut an imposing figure in Tate’s drama-soaked illustrations (you can practically see the rippling cape at his shoulders), but he’s not the only hero here: Roto is “fueled and ready, brave and strong. / Her shiny wings are tough and long. / Superhero helicopter! / She’s awesome, and nothing can stop her.” When the call comes in, off soars the daring duo to douse forest fires, rescue the occasional frightened puppy, then return to Hangar One and the cheers of crowds of fans. “THAT’S how we roll!” rumbles Big Roy. “BOOM!” Sporting large, expressive eyes like many of her anthropomorphic working-machine kin, Roto exudes grim determination while battling the smoky blaze and smiling confidence at other times. And why not? Pair with Chris L. Demarest’s Smokejumpers One to Ten (2002) to fire up young audiences, and Michael Slack’s Elecopter (2013) to add giggles to the cheers. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.