Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 04/28/2025 Sporting a purple Hawaiian shirt and gray ponytail, and sipping from a thermal mug whose sticker reads "Be nice to the bus driver/ it’s a long walk home," Mr. Jay commands School Bus 3-and the 18 kids on the route adore him. Lavishly energetic slice-of-life marker, pencil, and ink artwork by Heder shows Mr. Jay bringing unshakable cool to bear on an obstacle course of switchbacks, cobblestone roads, and an interstate, but his true appeal lies in his attentiveness-from pulling over for a carsick kid to rescuing a treed diorama and wrangling enthusiastic animals. Digital clock numbers count down the minutes until the 8:05 start of school, but though time is tight, there’s never any doubt that Mr. Jay will hit his mark. Wallace’s rhyming text, which scans cleverly across running lines and dialogue balloons, returns to an anchoring refrain: "That’s okay./ We’re on our way!" And after the chorus of charges disembarks, Mr. Jay sends them off with a warm farewell, tidies the bus, and boards a ride of his own-one that grandly reveals how he comes by his own skills. Starring a beloved adult who brings everyone together, this jubilant picture book hails its school-commute VIP accordingly: "When problems happen on the road,/ when little things make heavy loads,/ there’s nothing like a trusted guide/ to keep you safe inside the ride." Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4-8. (July) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 07/04/2025 K-Gr 2—A little piece of picture book magic can be found in this slice-of-life portrayal of the role of a bus driver in the community school ecosystem. In rhyming couplets, the text navigates the tumultuous, joyful, complex yet ordinary day of dedicated bus driver Mr. Jay, who is white, bearded, and balding with salt-and-pepper hair. The protagonist serves by turns as an inspector, a surrogate caretaker, an animal wrangler, a skilled improviser, a safety officer, and a one-man search and rescue team—a complex hero. Older readers may be dazzled by the humility and dignity of Mr. Jay's role in commanding his vehicle and charges to school and home. Younger children will simply enjoy the action and the humor or the familiarity of some of the feelings and situations a school bus ride evokes along with the sing-song meter and cadence of the text. Wallace's sturdy writing contains plenty of alliteration and rhyme and delightful language but never distracts from Heder's expressive illustrations that brim with energy and humorous candor. VERDICT Essential for building universal respect for the school bus drivers who pour their hearts into the work they do each day, this book will find a place on most shelves.—Jessica Fenster-Sparber - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.