Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/01/2018 When Iris’ Aunt Mary comes to visit for the day, she brings along a sourdough mix and turns Iris’ kitchen into a bread lab. Enthusiastic Iris is on board, and they spend their day mixing, kneading, shaping, and—for most of the day—allowing the dough to rest, so the microbes can do their work. Choi’s soft, warm cartoon illustrations add levity to Binczewski and Econopouly’s winsome, pun-filled text and help illuminate not only the steps involved but also some of the science; one memorable spread depicts greedy microbes burping as they chow down. Mary and Iris’ conversations while they’re letting the dough rest address the importance of plants to all the food we eat and emphasize how much fun cooking and baking can be. A list of additional sourdough facts closes the story, and directions for making sourdough at home helpfully direct readers to a more comprehensive tutorial on making the most necessary ingredient, a sourdough starter (a process that can take weeks, something the book doesn’t mention). Curious culinarily inclined kiddos will want to take a bite out of this. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 11/01/2018 K-Gr 3—Bread lovers are in for a treat! Iris and her plant scientist aunt are going to spend the day making bread. Iris is eager to learn and journals every step of the activity. Aunt Mary makes learning fun and engaging as she shares her knowledge of the science behind bread making. She introduces Iris to Flora and explains that she is full of microbes that start the process. She also explains that their homemade bread would only need four ingredients, far less than the store-bought bread that Iris has always eaten. As Iris watches and learns, she notes that the microbes are like magic and Aunt Mary explains that it is "more like science." As their dough rests, Iris and Aunt Mary have a picnic in the park where Aunt Mary explains how her job as a plant scientist helps farmers grow food. At last they return home to bake their bread and share it with Iris's mom and dad. The Bread Bakers Guild of America partnered with the Bread Lab at Washington State University with the mission to educate kids about the benefits of making good food choices. The digitally rendered illustrations visually demonstrate what the characters are doing, thinking, and feeling. Bread facts follow the story along with a recipe for whole wheat sourdough bread. VERDICT This attractive book is a solid addition to an elementary library collection. Young bakers will enjoy learning about the science of bread making and will be eager to try the recipe included.—Annette Herbert, F.E. Smith Elementary School, Cortland, NY - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.