Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2025 K-Gr 3—A heartfelt journey through the eyes of a young child preparing for a Day of the Dead celebration who finds beauty and meaning in everyday moments. Whether tending a garden, studying, reading, or playing, each activity becomes a quiet tribute to cherished loved ones. Parra's storytelling is both gentle and profound, with each spread offering a few sentences in English, culminating in a poignant phrase repeated in Spanish. This thoughtful repetition reinforces the book's central theme: the importance of slowing down, appreciating the present, and holding close the people we love. The illustrations, rendered in Parra's signature worn-texture technique and a soothing palette of cool tones, radiate warmth and nostalgia. There's a quiet joy woven into the pages, mirroring the deep familial bonds at the heart of this book. VERDICT A beautiful and reflective read, perfect for celebrating Día de Muertos or simply savoring life's precious moments. Purchase to enrich holiday collections.—Cassie Veselovsky - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Other - 06/09/2025 Parra celebrates the ephemeral in this comforting observance of D?a de los Muertos. The artist’s signature-style acrylic on board illustrations open with a child, hands and face painted like a calaca, sitting in soft moonlight before dawn: "Today holds a special promise. Una promesa especial." As the day starts, the youth joins family for a tamale, avocado, and egg breakfast; hurries to school on a bus that reads Oaxaca; studies and adds to a painted portrait of Abuela; and, back at home, plays with friends, reads, and more. Finally, the full day leads to a marigold-festooned gathering where individuals, portrayed with white-painted or brown skin, interact, some holding images of loved ones. Each spread makes the most of the moment, reflecting in English and italicized Spanish on every occurrence and the child’s perception of it, and aptly underlining themes of intergenerational connection, mindfulness, and remembrance: "I am here now, for all of life’s special moments./ I carry love in my heart, and/ I remember./ Yo recuerdo." An author’s note concludes. Ages 4-8. (July) - Copyright 2025