Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2016 PreS-Gr 2—A daring duck gets the wild idea to ride an unattended bike down on the farm in Shannon's Duck on a Bike. At the very end of that now classic storytime title, the mischievous drake spies a tractor, thereby setting the stage for this delightful follow-up. Duck decides to drive the massive red vehicle into town, with his fellow barnyard pals piled comically on top. As they roll down the main road and past the local diner, the townsfolk exclaim in wonder, disbelief, and concern. Following the pattern of the first book, each character says one thing but thinks something else ("Deputy Bob blabbered, 'If that don't beat all!' But what he thought was, 'How am I gonna explain this to the sheriff?'?"). Careful observers may notice some striking similarities between the human residents and the farm animals. The folksy dialogue and repetition make this ideal for reading aloud. It's Shannon's painterly and exuberant artwork, however, that steals the show. Characters' exaggerated facial expressions and body language will keep kids giggling, while dynamic compositions and changing points of view add to the pitch-perfect comedic timing. VERDICT An energetic, laugh-out-loud tale that's a worthy companion to Duck's first big adventure.—Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/15/2016 Duck is at it again with his wild ideas! Since he was able to ride a bike (Duck on a Bike, 2002), why not try a tractor? Once he gets it running, duck invites the farm animals to hop on for a ride. While getting aboard, the animals each exclaim one thing, but think another. ‘Woof!’ said Dog. But what he thought was, ‘We’re going for a ride!’“ The animals catch the attention of the townsfolk as Duck drives the tractor past the diner, where, like the animals, each person exclaims one thing but thinks another. When Farmer O’Dell realizes that the animals are on his tractor, it’s a mad dash for the animals back to the farm while the townsfolk wonder if what they saw was just an optical illusion. Shannon’s engaging text, lightly sprinkled with onomatopoeia, offers comical insight into the difference between thoughts and words, and his brightly colored paintings fill the pages with hilarious, over-the-top facial expressions. A great read aloud—one-on-one or for story time. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.