Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 01/01/2023 Gr 1–3—Unnamed siblings, a boy and a girl with brown skin and dark curly brown hair, take an imaginative journey as they tour a world inhabited by spectacular creatures inviting them into the fantastical world of sleep. Through the course of their night adventures the children encounter a welcoming tiger, enormous walrus, cheerful elephant, and old serpent. Silver ships transport them to various locations where they are joined by mythical creatures and a diverse group of happy children. They all converge, forming a large and loud parade, singing and playing musical instruments. Finally, a dolphin takes them home where they are tucked into bed. In the morning they are greeted by the enormous serpent looking into their window who poses the question, "Are you ready?" This open-ended resolution could be interpreted many ways and could lead to a stimulating discussion. The poetic text, full of rich vocabulary, seems meant to be read out loud. However, it lacks many of the elements of good storytelling. While there is a theme of sorts, both a plot and character development are nonexistent; the children's mouths are mostly agape when they are awake, and closed when they sleep. The otherwise breathtaking illustrations, created with graphite on vellum bristol paper and colored digitally, are detailed and invite thoughtful inspection. A comparison to Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are is obvious, although some of the darker images carry a Dante's "Inferno" vibe as well, which seems counterproductive in a bedtime book. VERDICT Whether for sleepy time or not, this is an additional purchase.—Lynne Stover - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 02/01/2023 A dreamy, fantastical world awaits a group of children who are drifting off to sleep. The young bedtime voyagers float on a gentle breeze to another realm. Greeted by the smiling, purring Night Tiger and her cubs, they “tumble down a mountain carpeted in night blossoms.” Silver ships in the shape of mythological creatures transport the wayfarers across a moonlit sea. The brief, lyrical text offers a beguiling invitation to imagination: leaping merfolk ask, “Are you joyful?” as the waving Night Walrus wonders, “Do you feel the music?” Once the children arrive at the Night Elephant’s North Pole pavilion—the apex of their journey—Night Frolic festivities commence with exuberant song and dance. In a satisfying decrescendo, the Old Serpent reminds the revelers it’s time to sleep. Zollars’ graphite and digitally colored illustrations, in luminous shades of pink, purple, and blue, are full of opulent details and swirling, kaleidoscopic movements. Downright magical, this is a picture book made for dreamers. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

Booklist - 02/15/2023 A dreamy, fantastical world awaits a group of children who are drifting off to sleep. The young bedtime voyagers float on a gentle breeze to another realm. Greeted by the smiling, purring Night Tiger and her cubs, they “tumble down a mountain carpeted in night blossoms.” Silver ships in the shape of mythological creatures transport the wayfarers across a moonlit sea. The brief, lyrical text offers a beguiling invitation to imagination: leaping merfolk ask, “Are you joyful?” as the waving Night Walrus wonders, “Do you feel the music?” Once the children arrive at the Night Elephant’s North Pole pavilion—the apex of their journey—Night Frolic festivities commence with exuberant song and dance. In a satisfying decrescendo, the Old Serpent reminds the revelers it’s time to sleep. Zollars’ graphite and digitally colored illustrations, in luminous shades of pink, purple, and blue, are full of opulent details and swirling, kaleidoscopic movements. Downright magical, this is a picture book made for dreamers. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.