Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 01/01/2017 As father and daughter hike their way from their Colorado River bank campsite on up to the rim of the Grand Canyon, Chin’s readers accompany them (far less strenuously), observing and delighting in the geological wonders along the way. An opening map and endnote information orient the audience to the backpackers’ route along the South Kaibab Trail up to the canyon’s South Rim. It’s a necessarily limited view of the canyon but one that boasts more than a dozen easily identifiable geological strata, which Chin diagrams early in the text and refers to continually throughout the trek. Just watching the scenery go by in Chin’s sumptuous watercolors could be satisfaction enough for many readers, but textual commentary on the rock formations, as well as the ecological communities of flora and fauna in the changing climate zones, form the basis of a multidisciplinary science lesson far more engrossing than kids are likely to encounter in a classroom. The stellar book design is not only an aesthetic pleasure but it also assists readers in integrating various threads of the canyon’s complex story. Diagrams of geological formations and sketches of plants and animals run along the bottom and sides of many spreads, while subtle die-cut openings embedded in the landscape signal a whimsical glance into geological time at the page turn, as the girl is momentarily transported back into the relevant time period. Six pages of end matter expand the discussion (with particular attention to the canyon’s carving), offer resources for further investigation, and touch on Chin’s approach to illustration (and a few pictorial liberties taken.) A double foldout panoramic view of the canyon is a breathtaking bonus, and readers may be sorely tempted to remove that scene and tack it to the bedroom wall. EB - Copyright 2017 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 11/15/2016 *Starred Review* Filled with arresting artwork and fascinating information, Chin’s imposing latest proves that the Grand Canyon is “much more than just a big hole in the ground.” Following a father and daughter from the North Rim to the South Rim, Chin’s virtual hiking tour, which features actual locations and views, takes readers from the oldest, deepest area of the Grand Canyon (the Inner Gorge) to the youngest (Ponderosa Pine Forest). His stunning illustrations do double duty, offering snapshots of the pair’s trek as well as myriad details in the page margins, such as a visual catalog of plants and animals that live in each featured region of the canyon, diagrams clearly explaining how the canyon was formed, and spreads revealing what the canyon looked like millions, even billions, of years ago. Chin’s straightforward, lucid text seamlessly integrates concepts and scientific terms in engaging paragraphs full of surprising information, all of which is beautifully complemented by the illustrations. A culminating, panoramic gatefold spread reveals a breathtaking vista of the canyon, now made all the more incredible by the wealth of information in the preceding pages. Plenty of additional reading and information about the canyon closes out the volume. With vivid imagination, a crystal-clear grasp of the facts, and brilliant artwork, this illuminating look at one of the planet’s most fascinating features will entrance young readers. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 01/01/2017 Gr 3–5—A breathtaking walk through multiple habitats and deep time. Beginning at the banks of the Colorado River, a child and her adult companion hike up the South Kaibab trail from 1.84 billion-year-old "basement rocks" past the layers of the Grand Canyon Supergroup, the Bright Angel Shale, and other major formations to the Kaibab Limestone layer at the top. At the same time, the two pass through riparian greenery, sun-baked desert scrub, and pinyon juniper woodland to reach the South Rim's ponderosa pine forest. In Chin's cleanly drawn scenes, viewers who follow along will catch glimpses of characteristic flora and fauna (with other wildlife lined up along the margins) at each elevation, plus clear looks at each distinctive rock layer. Better yet, occasional fossils in the rocks, seen through cutouts, temporarily transport the child with a page turn to prehistoric mudflats, sand dunes, and sea floor. A double gatefold vista vividly underscores Chin's opening proposition that the canyon is "much more than just a big hole in the ground," and the author supplements his information-rich running commentary with further notes and illustrations covering the canyon's history, human settlement, ecology, and geology. It's all Grand. VERDICT An outstanding introduction to one of the world's greatest outdoor wonders, with much to offer elementary students about Southwestern biomes, sedimentary geology, and the profound pleasures of observing nature.—John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York City - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.