Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 09/01/2022 K-Gr 2—Four generations are inspired by the beauty of Peru, the endless possibilities of the world around them, and a very special turquoise room. Esther is a young girl who lives in Peru, where she spends her time drawing and dreaming of exploring the world. She paints a special map of South America, and when she grows up, she hangs this map in a turquoise room where she now cares for her daughter Isabel. Esther shares with Isabel stories of her travels. When Isabel grows up, she moves to the United States and her passion for painting flourishes. Soon, she shares her love for Peru and the secrets of traveling in her dreams with her own daughter, Monica. This love for Peru and its magic is passed on through words and stories to Monica's own daughters—Esther's great-granddaughters—and to readers. Shades of purple and turquoise create a mysterious and magical atmosphere within the pages that beckons to readers and invites them to dream. A love for Peru and for family is shared in each spread, and the text, presented in English and Spanish, lovingly and patiently shares the story of these four women and of the power of following dreams. VERDICT A love letter to Peru, dreams, and daughters everywhere, this intergenerational bilingual picture book is a good choice for most picture book collections.—Selenia Paz - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 09/01/2022 - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 09/01/2022 - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/15/2022 Prolific children’s book writer Brown brings a personal, intergenerational story to readers in this moving picture book about family, culture, art, and imagination. Using bilingual text (Spanish and English) complemented Garcia’s dreamy purple-and-turquoise illustrations, Brown blends fact and fantasy as she recounts the legacies of her grandmother Esther and mother, Isabel. As a child, Esther dreamed about exploring the world beyond her native country of Peru and found her escape in drawing and painting. Later, Esther painted her daughter’s room a beautiful turquoise and whispered fantastic stories of adventure to her baby, Isabel. Isabel inherited her mother’s talents and far-reaching ambitions, eventually moving to the U.S. and becoming an artist. And when Isabel had her daughter Monica, she also wove incredible tales “of butterflies and flight, of color and art, and of her grandmother Esther” and encouraged Monica to “fly away and explore.” In this very book, Brown keeps alive her family’s tradition of carrying and sharing one’s history, culture, and customs with younger generations. The beautifully translated Spanish further enhances the story’s message. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.