Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/01/2020 In this lively picture book, a Black girl who loves geology attempts to convert an unseen, initially snarky onlooker (a stand-in for the book’s audience), who yawns at the thought of rocks. First the enthusiast says that geology isn’t just rocks; it’s also volcanoes, diamonds, and fossils. Next she explains how “boring” rocks can change into “fiery liquid rock” (lava) during the rock cycle, in which one type of rock is transformed into another. After the unseen character asks a rhetorical question, the enthusiastic girl immediately counters that the asker would make a good scientist, because “Science isn’t about having the answers—it’s about asking questions.” Finally, she welcomes her gradually converted listener into the Rock Club. As in Barton’s I’m Trying to Love Spiders (2015) and Give Bees a Chance (2017), the conversational text is so engaging that the information becomes more interesting and easier to absorb. With an energetic, disarmingly childlike look, the illustrations help viewers visualize and understand the concepts described. A welcome addition to this popular series. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 05/01/2020 K-Gr 2—This charming, brightly colored book shares a heap of information about Earth and rocks, resulting in a playful primer in geology. In the same vein as her previous title, (I'm Trying To Love Math), Barton pairs a slightly bored, disembodied narrator with a character who is passionate about the subject in question; in this case, the young president of the geology club. With her enthusiastic guidance, the second character comes to understand the wonderful world of geology, from the names and classifications of rocks to questions about how islands and diamonds are formed. Barton offers an engaging overview of some core concepts of geology, providing facts and figures without overwhelming readers and emphasizing the exciting aspects of questioning and exploration in science. A lovely touch: The endpapers at the start of the book have a host of different rocks, each labeled "rock," while the endpapers at the back show the same rocks correctly labeled. VERDICT A delightful presentation of what might otherwise seem like dry information. Purchase immediately for elementary nonfiction collections for a playful introduction to the world of rocks.—Jen McConnel, Queen's University, Ont. - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.