Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2018 PreS-Gr 1—Not even a lack of music or a dubious friend can dampen Horse's drive to dance. Buggy's skeptical, "What are you doing?" and "I do not hear any music" does not deter Horse. He just gleefully bends, grooves, and kicks, proclaiming, "I am dancing. I am the best dancer. I have the best dances. Dance with me!" Buggy finally busts a move, Horse finds a boom box, and just as they are really "getting down," Horse decides to take a much needed break. VERDICT With Long's characteristic slapstick humor and simple, expressive characters, this newest pairing is pitch-perfect for his audience…no dance beat required.—Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2018 In the tradition of Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie stories, a new duo—constantly moving, gray-spotted, bug-eyed Horse and a skeptical, equally bug-eyed fly named Buggy—discusses what actually constitutes dancing, while demonstrating their dance moves. Horse gyrates to music that only he can hear, which causes Buggy to question whether he is really dancing or just moving about. When Horse invites Buggy to dance, Buggy declines, but then begrudgingly shows her moves when Horse suggests that perhaps she can’t dance. Unimpressed with Buggy’s efforts, Horse turns on a boom box, and Buggy finds her groove, only to have Horse collapse in exhaustion. This picture-book-sized easy reader manages to effectively portray the interaction between the two while keeping the vocabulary limited. Full-page illustrations with just the characters and minimal accoutrements against colorful backgrounds cleverly enhance the text and set a humorous tone. While grandparents might chuckle at the dance moves from Saturday Night Fever and Flashdance, young ones will enjoy the spirit. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.