Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 03/15/2022 Lou is a red fire hydrant, though you may not have noticed, what with the steady stream of dogs peeing on him all the time. Even he hasn’t noticed! Lou can only watch in exasperation as one pup after another sniffs, twirls, twists, and lifts a leg to . . . “well, you know.” But Lou knows that he has hidden potential deep down—literally: readers get a belowground glimpse of the teeming water main connected to his base. It’s not until a firefighter rushes up with a (dalmatian’s) sniff, (water valve) twirl, (hose attachment) twist, and (hose) lift, rescuing the nearby Doggy Day Care from flames, that Lou learns he is more than just a loo. Carzoo’s hilarious debut marries a clever conceit with irresistible character design (an object with big eyes and a little mouth) to charm readers and impart a nice story of self-discovery. Sharp cut-paper collage brings Lou’s street to life, with a variety of pups in amusing poses and bright colors set off by white backdrops. Great fun, sure to make a splash at story time. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.