Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/28/2022 Gr 2–5—A gripping drama captured in scientifically rich but not overwhelming text. The Sibert Medal-winning team (Honeybee) now takes readers to the Arctic to witness the life of a mother polar bear and her cubs. Emerging from winter with two children, after months of living off her stored fat, the mother must now find food. Seamlessly blending details about polar bears into a dramatic tale, Fleming takes readers to the water's edge where the mother bear hunts for ringed seals in the icy waters of springtime on the Hudson Bay. Climate change has made the life of a polar bear even more challenging, and the author has done a masterful job of connecting readers to the plight of this one family. Neither illustrations nor book design anthropomorphize the animals but readers will be on the edge of their seats as they follow the trio on their journey of survival, made all the more treacherous by a warming planet. Back matter, including a caption-rich diagram of a polar bear, additional resources for more learning, and ideas for the fight against climate change are included. VERDICT Gorgeous illustrations capture a fragile ecosystem, making this an outstanding collaboration that belongs in all library collections.—John Scott - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 11/01/2022 *Starred Review* Fleming and Rohmann’s latest collaboration (a companion to the award-winning, Giant Squid, 2016, and Honeybee, 2020) spotlights a mother polar bear and her cubs over the course of a year, spring through winter. Using lyrical prose that carefully avoids anthropomorphism, Fleming vividly depicts this Hudson Bay, Ontario, setting and these apex predators as they trek “across frozen ponds, / and slippery ridges, / and gullies filled with powder-fresh snow.” The trio encounters wolves, has trouble catching seals (a major food source), and endures a dangerously long swim back to shore after their sea ice breaks away from the larger floe. Rohmann’s magnificent oil paintings feature blue, green, and gray backgrounds that nicely set off the bears. Spreads are varied and include wide-angle landscapes (including a double-gatefold seascape) as well as dramatic close-ups, depicting teeth bared against wolves, claws in search of prey, and a precarious snooze at the edge of an ice floe. Fleming notes that mother and cubs will spend another year together before going off on their own; back matter includes an informative diagram detailing Ursa maritimus and its adaptations to the cold, a note on climate change and its impact on sea ice, cool facts, and additional resources. A majestic polar plunge not to be missed. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

Booklist - 11/01/2022 *Starred Review* Fleming and Rohmann’s latest collaboration (a companion to the award-winning, Giant Squid, 2016, and Honeybee, 2020) spotlights a mother polar bear and her cubs over the course of a year, spring through winter. Using lyrical prose that carefully avoids anthropomorphism, Fleming vividly depicts this Hudson Bay, Ontario, setting and these apex predators as they trek “across frozen ponds, / and slippery ridges, / and gullies filled with powder-fresh snow.” The trio encounters wolves, has trouble catching seals (a major food source), and endures a dangerously long swim back to shore after their sea ice breaks away from the larger floe. Rohmann’s magnificent oil paintings feature blue, green, and gray backgrounds that nicely set off the bears. Spreads are varied and include wide-angle landscapes (including a double-gatefold seascape) as well as dramatic close-ups, depicting teeth bared against wolves, claws in search of prey, and a precarious snooze at the edge of an ice floe. Fleming notes that mother and cubs will spend another year together before going off on their own; back matter includes an informative diagram detailing Ursa maritimus and its adaptations to the cold, a note on climate change and its impact on sea ice, cool facts, and additional resources. A majestic polar plunge not to be missed. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.