Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2022 PreS-Gr 3—Maximus has bought some dinosaur eggs from Eggasaurus, Inc., and is super excited and dedicated to their hatching. Max and the company communicate via letters about Max's excitement and the company's policies, giving Max more eggs, advice, or responsibility with every letter. Eventually, the dinos hatch and everyone learns to live with them in their own special way. Wagh has created a dynamic epistolary tale, with a simple vocabulary that is true to the voices of children and to corporate communications. Bateman's illustrations make plain the exchanges taking place, showing Max's excitement over the eggs, as well as the company's attitude through simple boxes and letters. The facial expressions are also absolutely hilarious in showing how Max and his dad really feel about the dinos (happy and terrified, respectively) versus what the company thinks they feel (it's all good). These two creators have built a comic back-and-forth tale similar to Doreen Cronin's in style, but utterly unique with a super-invested and caring boy, a father who is questioning how this could get any weirder, and a company that will not take no for an answer. VERDICT A grand tale for lessons on pet responsibility, letter-writing, and of course, dinosaurs.—Margaret Kennelly - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.