Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 11/01/2023 PreS-Gr 1—Best buddies create all kinds of chaos around the house. Scratch the cat likes to have fun, but Sniff the dog often gets the raw end of the deal. As Scratch unrolls the toilet paper in the bathroom shouting, "Spin!" "Faster, faster!," Sniff ends up wrapped like a mummy. In the backyard Sniff loves chasing his own tail, but Scratch has other ideas and grabs the dog's tail to win the game. When the rascally kitty steals Sniff's beloved rubber ducky, sending it flying up on the curtain rod in the living room, Scratch must make amends and retrieve the toy. Oh no! Now Scratch is stuck. Three short stories follow the adventures of an obliging dog and a mischievous cat as they navigate a not quite equitable friendship. Speech balloons contain simple dialogue in this beginning reader graphic novel. Short sentences move the narration along, and word and phrase repetition create an accessible early reading experience. The boldly drawn protagonists and clear large typeface are set against a simple background of soft and saturated colors to further aid reading comprehension. Cartoon motion lines animate the action. VERDICT Young pet lovers will giggle as the dog figures out that the cat never plays fair. A fun addition for early reader collections.—Sarah Webb - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.