Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/04/2025 PreS-K—This fun story of two companions attending school for the first time helps to ease anxious minds of both the human and canine varieties. It is time for Sunny and Sammy to attend their first days of kid school and puppy school, respectively, and they are both feeling nervous about what to expect. The two characters experience a plethora of activities, some in parallel to one another and others in vastly different circumstances. But when Sunny settles into puppy school and Sammy gets acquainted with her human classmates, they both realize that the joys of school greatly outweigh their anxieties. Speech bubbles appear alongside the narrative-style text, offering readers a glimpse of phrasing they might experience while in their own educational environments. Additionally, interactions are a highlight of the imagery, providing examples of potential moments within a child's school day. Watercolor illustrations with clear lines give the text a childlike quality while presenting enough detail to emphasize the emotions and elements specific to each interaction. A variety of skin tones and abilities is represented among the characters who appear alongside Sammy and Sunny, as well. The images are the primary focus of the book, and these, coupled with the comparatively limited text, make this title well-suited to preschool-aged readers who are preparing to enter school for the first time. VERDICT Fun and unexpected, this charming back-to-school book lovingly supports children who are preparing for their first day of school.—Mary R. Lanni - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Other - 04/28/2025 It’s day one of kid school for Sammy, who’s portrayed with brown skin, and day one of puppy school for family dog Sunny. After each drop-off, mild anxiety follows: Sammy looks a little lost amid the cubbies, and Sunny howls a mournful "AAAWOOOOOOO." But both have calm, welcoming teachers, and beat-by-beat text from LaCour and crisp watercolor-washed ink drawings by Lilly depict lessons and routines that are relatively easy to embrace. As Sammy sits through circle time, Sunny digs with the other pooches; while Sammy learns to write their name at the top of each page, Sunny learns to sit and stay. A fanciful conceptual turn feels abrupt following the otherwise realistic story, but gentle developmental parallels offer a measure of sweetly comic reassurance for first-day jitters. Secondary characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3-6. (July) - Copyright 2025