Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2015 PreS-Gr 2—Using only 10 letters to make 20 words, Paul provides the scaffold on which Lehman builds a story. Paul's word ladder, in which letters are added or subtracted from one page to the next: "pals/ Pa's/past/post" are fun, but it's Lehman's watercolors that form a narrative. Her firmly lined pen-and-ink drawings are easily interpreted as they depict a little girl who longs to fly the abandoned bi-plane sitting on her family farm and the way she persuades her widowed father to take to the air again. Readers may feel left hanging by the unexplained backstory. Viewers see father and daughter visiting her mother's grave, but have no idea how she perished. VERDICT It's all a bit sketchy.—Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Library, NY - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 11/01/2015 *Starred Review* In this uniquely told story, words and illustrations provide clues to help readers piece together a “plan” as it transforms from a young girl’s fantasy into a fantastic shared flight. May and her dog want to travel to Saturn by restoring a biplane that sits idle on May’s father’s farm. May’s plan inspires her father, a former aviator, to dig into the past and come up with an alternative idea for a journey, resulting in a more realistic but nevertheless magnificent flight. The somewhat complex story is brilliantly conveyed through 20 simple, well-chosen words and beautifully rendered illustrations. The text is suggestive of a word game: all 20 start with the letter p, some are homophones, and others reuse many of the same sounds, shifting one letter at a time (plan, plane, plain, etc.) to create an exceedingly imaginative story. Lehman’s trademark clear and uncluttered illustrations, including creative text placement, carry the bulk of the story and perfectly match the spare wording. Subtle details—facial expressions, body language, and clues in the setting—provide an unexpected emotional depth and clue discerning readers into the sadder background of the story. Ultimately, hearts will soar with the characters as they fly away in their lovingly restored plane. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.