Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/01/2023 Firelight Bay’s always sunny and summery, but what it doesn’t have is rain—and the fun it can bring, from puddle jumping to rainbows. Across the sea, Lou Dozens hopes to change that, recruiting her somewhat apprehensive pal and his rowboat to deliver, literally, a “cloud in a jar.” The journey is fraught with challenges, though ever-intrepid Lou has a solution for each—sometimes literally up her sleeve, like handkerchiefs she makes into a sail, or cobbled together, like the net made of lost cellphone chargers that helps bring a beached whale back into the sea. However, further hurdles arise, and the boy solves the problem with the cloud, their intended gift. Will the trip be a bust? Told in dense verses, the boy’s animated account of the adventures is engrossing and depicted in the immersive, vibrantly detailed illustrations, containing whimsical scenes, rushing motions, and saturated color. While the sometimes rhythmically complex rhyme scheme may occasionally hamper reading flow, this fanciful tale offers much to engage and entertain. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.