Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/15/2020 Stuffed animals stage a mutiny over alleged abuses foisted upon them by their young owner in this hilarious account of a tea party gone wrong. Clarissa, a little girl who lives in an oversize teapot, finds that getting her six stuffed animals together for a little tea party is like herding cats. It’s worse, actually, because the “stuffies” flat-out refuse to join in. They’ve got grievances. For example, Clarissa dropped ice cream on Elephant’s head at the last tea party, and Rabbit is still damp from being left outside all week. The climax comes with the stuffies taking over Clarissa’s teapot house, shutting her out. The illustrations, done in acrylics, are suitably childlike, with bold outlines, flat-looking characters and objects, and wonderful, fantastical touches like having the animals walk sideways up trees. Finally, Clarissa listens to the stuffies and explains her behavior (it was all out of love). This is not only visually and verbally fun but also a wonderful exercise in building empathy, by showing the mindsets of the stuffed animals. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 04/15/2020 - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2020 K-Gr 2—Written as a play with indicated parts for seven characters, this story features Clarissa, who emerges from a teapot-shaped house and invites her stuffed animals to a party. Unfortunately, they each bear a grievance against her and refuse to attend. Pup tries to smooth things over, to no avail. When it starts pouring, the animals leave their perch atop a large blue-trunked tree and march into the house, leaving Clarissa outside. But it's no fun in the dark without her and when she declares them all her favorites and addresses their complaints, they join the party with an enthusiastic "Thank you, Clarissa." Both text and the acrylic cartoon illustrations provide ample doses of humor. The frowning animals, paws across their chests, refuse to perform the tasks Clarissa assigns, only to fight over who does them later. The day shifts from bright sunshine to being overshadowed under ever larger storm clouds, and back to sunshine when the party begins. The teapot's interior transforms as well, from black to bright yellow as attitudes change. VERDICT This humorous offering will resonate with young readers who also have their own "crankypants" moments, and they will enjoy acting out the play.—Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.