Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 01/01/2020 PreS-Gr 1—A retelling of the Norwegian fairy tale, "Three Billy Goats Gruff." Three goats cross a bridge where a hungry "gigante" lives. As the goats, one by one, so ingeniously try to deceive the monster, the last and biggest goat has a realization that changes the outcome for all the characters. Former Spanish teacher and children book author Middleton presents the tale in rhyme with Spanish words in bold scattered throughout the two-line sentences that build the narrative. The generously sized font uses preschool-friendly vocabulary. The pencil, collage, and digitally made pastel-colored illustrations are set on a white background depicting geometrical figures and curved lines that could be used in an interactive storytime, where children find different shapes. This picture book exposes children to themes such as empathy, kindness, teamwork, and friendship, providing an ideal opportunity for a storytime focused on mindfulness. The front matter contains a glossary with all the Spanish words used in the story. VERDICT A thoughtful picture book that will motivate youngsters to look beyond appearances.—Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2020 Who doesn’t love the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff and the scary troll? With rhyming text and a mixture of Spanish and English, Elya presents a modern take on the old classic. Here the three little cabritos encounter a blue, toothy troll on their way to cross el rio to get to that tasty grass. One by one, the goats cross until the third one gets stopped by the troll, but this inquisitive cabrito wants to know why the troll is so grumpy! After finding the reason and mobilizing others to help, the three little goats are rewarded for their kindness by being freely allowed to cross the bridge. As a read-aloud, this bouncy rhyming story, which smoothly incorporates Spanish words and encourages proper pronunciation, provides a great opportunity to discuss kindness. Ordóñez's blocky, bright illustrations, composed of rounded shapes in flat swathes of color, add to the cheerful atmosphere. A glossary of Spanish terms and pronunciation guide bolster language-learning opportunities in this lively, engaging take on a classic tale. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.