Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 03/15/2023 A mother’s aspirations for her infant son are revealed in Ho’s loving words and Pray’s colorful illustrations, created using pencils, ink, watercolor, linoleum block prints, and Adobe Photoshop. The free-verse poem is narrated by a young mother to her “sweet boy.” As the mother and son spend a day together from his rising until bedtime, she and the pictures convey what she believes he will learn and experience as he grows up. The words “one day” are repeated throughout as the new parent voices her desires for her son: “I hope,” “I imagine,” “I’m sure,” “I dream,” and “I know.” Metaphors and similes pepper the lyrical text: “Your cheek is a pillow / pressed to my face / as we watch ourselves dance / in the mirror.” The large illustrations stretch from margin to margin and reveal varying perspectives and movement, from flowing hair to billowing curtains to waves crashing along a shoreline. The heartfelt title will be welcomed by new parents as the narrator voices the universal dream of wishing the best in life for their newborn. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.