Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/01/2018 PreS-Gr 2—With clever rhymes and imaginative illustrations, this is the story of an unlikely friendship between a young dragon and a knight who accidentally become friends rather than seeking to destroy each other. Their story begins when baby dragon Dram is booted out of his nest and told to "go bite a nibblesome knight of your own!" When a thunderstorm causes Dram to crash land in a pond, young knight James believes that he is a "rare kind of duck" in need of assistance. James creates a sling for Dram and then gives him some food before tucking him into bed "in the moon-marbled night." The next day, the two are shocked to discover each other's true identities: "You're a knight?" shouted Dram. "You're not simply a lad?" "You're a dragon?" yelled James. "You're all beastly and bad?" Luckily, they realize their shared experiences of the day before has made them friends rather than enemies, and they embrace rather than slaying one another. Their friendship allows all the other knights and dragons in the fairy-tale land to reevaluate their behavior. The energetic cartoon art is pure fun. The dragons are a wonderful blend of scary, scaly, and silly, and young James looks like a small blond cherub who is practically overpowered by his suit of armor. This story will make a wonderful read-aloud, and young children will enjoy noticing all the details in the colorful illustrations. VERDICT A crowd-pleasing rhyming picture book that children will beg to have read repeatedly. Sure to be a storytime hit.—Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.