Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/01/2021 A little boy is taken “across the ocean” to visit his grandpa in Korea, where everything is unfamiliar. Left alone together, the two appear to have no connection. The boy finds his grandpa’s house boring, so he starts kicking a ball around to entertain himself, which leads to an accident when a flowerpot breaks. This seems to spark an awareness in Grandpa that he needs to interact with his grandson. They both make an effort, and as things improve, it turns out that the two have lots of things in common after all. Yum’s (Lion Needs a Haircut, 2020) cheerful colored-pencil illustrations mirror the text, with facial expressions adding a layer of emotion as the relationship builds toward a happy conclusion. This is a simple story with an important message that young readers and their caregivers will appreciate: take a little time, make a little effort, and all will be well. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2021 PreS-Gr 1—For all children everywhere, the unfamiliar is hard. When the young narrator of this sweet picture book first gets to South Korea, or the "other side of the ocean," everything seems strange to him, including his grandfather. They can't understand each other's language and the house is "the most boring place on earth," until the young boy accidentally knocks over one of his grandfather's beloved potted orchids. Afraid of getting in trouble, the boy cowers, only to find that the old gentleman is ready to comfort him with peaches and a toy car. From then on, the two are inseparable. They enjoy walks in town, ice cream cones, and trips to the beach. By the end of the story, "Now where Grandpas lives, it smells familiar. It sounds familiar. And it feels like home." Young readers will be comforted and entertained by the evolution of the relationship between the boy and his grandfather, as he goes from a stranger to "a troublemaker. Just like me." Yum's witty, brief text perfectly and humorously complements her simple but expressive illustrations. The circumstances will resonate for children who have family far away. VERDICT. A great choice for picture book collections, this will be treasured by families preparing their young ones for a visit with relatives.—Kristy Pasquariello, Westwood P.L., MA - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.