Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/15/2020 Using simple, lyrical text and expansive, colorful illustrations, Robinson assures readers that, no matter what difficulties they may encounter or how a person might feel, everyone matters: The small stuff too small to see. / Those who swim with the tide / and those who don't. / The first to go and the last. / You matter. He points out that pests and those they annoy, those who fall and need to start over, and young and old alike are all important. Robinson's stylized acrylic-and-collage artwork lightens up the text with hopeful and sometimes humorous touches. The pest, for example, is a mosquito who bites a Tyrannosaurus rex on the tail, too far away for the behemoth to scratch with its tiny arms. This same dinosaur falls after Earth is struck by a meteor, and later a gassy planet (presumably Earth, post-extinction) renews itself. Throughout, Robinson depicts characters who are diverse in terms of ethnicities and abilities. Nonjudgmental and reassuring, this is a great choice for anyone experiencing a bad day. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 04/15/2020 - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2020 PreS-Gr 1—Robinson follows up his acclaimed debut Another with more of his spirited illustrations and spare, reaffirming prose. From "the small stuff too small to see," viewed by a young girl peering through a microscope, Robinson depicts the perspectives of many creatures and people. Robinson's cut paper illustrations depict a timeline of existence through prehistoric times, through space, and finally in a contemporary, urban setting. Each spread contains small details that link one scene to the next, emphasizing his message of connectivity. Robinson captures sentiments many young readers are familiar with ("when everyone thinks you're a pest," "the first to go and the last") and repeats the titular phrase throughout the book as an uplifting mantra. Robinson conveys complex themes, hinting at the universality of emotions, while validating the individual emotional journey of young readers. The choice of characters and settings work seamlessly to convey the passage of time and the endurance of his message of resilience and the significance of how we all relate and contribute to the world around us.VERDICT An earnest message and charming illustrations grow more poignant under closer reading. Highly recommended.—Jessica Agudelo, New York Public Library - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.