Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 09/01/2021 K-Gr 2—It's getting dark, so Naya's mother calls her to come to bed. But Naya says that she's not scared of the Jumbies, creatures from Caribbean stories similar to fairies and trolls that come out at night. Naya's mom tells her that Jumbies are only in stories, but Naya goes searching for one anyway. She doesn't find a scary Jumbie, but she does discover an interesting cast of mythical creatures from Caribbean folklore. Every creature she encounters is nothing like she imagined, a helpful reminder that you can't always believe what you read in stories. This is an adorable tale of a girl's mission to find legendary figures that will be familiar to some readers and brand-new to others. Each creature is presented in a visually pleasing way. The bright images are the perfect way to illustrate this upbeat story. The layout and size of the sentences vary depending on the page or the background image, which makes for a dynamic reading experience. VERDICT A vibrant and entertaining tale filled with mythical creatures from Caribbean stories that is perfect for Halloween and year-round.—Myiesha Speight, formerly at Towson Univ., Baltimore - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/01/2021 Baptiste brings the Caribbean folklore of her middle-grade fantasy series to the younger set with this picture book about a Black girl on the hunt for jumbies. Nearly all children become afraid of things that go bump in the night, and Naya is no exception. She’s fascinated by—and a little frightened of—jumbies, spirits her storybook says can be helpful or scary. Determined to “find a scary one,” she ventures into the night, and in the nearby tropical forest—colored in shadowy teal, purples, and greens—Naya encounters a series of jumbies, which range in appearance from small and humanoid to wolflike to brightly glowing like a genie. Despite some unsettling first impressions, all the jumbies prove kind and helpful as they join Naya in her search. Eventually they all end up back at Naya’s house, ready for a good night’s sleep. The illustrations are colorful and dreamlike, and Ren pays special attention to accentuating the features of characters. A nice addition to offerings on being afraid of the dark, monsters, or nighttime adventures. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.