Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/15/2017 *Starred Review* Newbery Honor Book author Sidman captures the perfection of the simplest of shapes in this poetic ode to roundness. A brown-haired girl informs readers she loves round things—loves to feel the smoothness and curves, and to watch round things grow or hatch. And, it turns out, there are so many round things in nature to love, from budding blueberries, to water drops becoming “beads of silver” as they fall, to rocks that weren’t always round but shaped that way over eons. If all that roundness isn’t enough, the child demonstrates how, by holding hands with friends, they can form their own circle, while alone, she can curl into a ball. Each carefully written line of text shows readers how the mundane can become magical if you look closely. You can even bask in the majesty of roundness when sitting on Dad’s shoulders, looking up at a harvest moon. All of this elegant simplicity springs from the page through Yoo’s mixed-media artwork, so rich in subtle detail that children will always find one more thing to look at. Once finished with the story, readers can find more information in a two-page info section on the round shape in nature, using examples from the text. Pair this with the author’s Swirl by Swirl (2011) for a shape-shifting trip through the natural world. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2017 PreS-K—Sidman delivers a captivating homage to the many round things found in nature and in the world around us. Told in the voice and sensibility of a young child, the simple text follows a girl as she comes across round objects, feels their smoothness, and wraps her fingers around their curves. Some she appreciates from afar (turtle eggs and sunflowers), watching how they roll, spin, or bounce. Some of the objects are in plain sight, and others are hidden and require close inspection. Many of the examples are surprising and delightful. For instance, rain splats and leaves circular ripples behind and round lily pads and turtle shells appear for observant viewers to notice. In fact, much of Yoo's appealing artwork, done in mixed media with printed texture, is rounded and in soft focus. Sidman's examples stretch from the fleeting (bubbles) to the enduring (a full moon) to the personal ("I can be round too…in a circle of friends with no one left out."). It's amazing how one square little book can hold such a wealth of roundness. VERDICT A lovely read-aloud to share in a story circle or in preparation for a nature walk and a perfect choice to curl up with one-on-one.—Luann Toth, School Library Journal - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.