Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2022 PreS-Gr 3—There are many ways to say "Hello," and "Meow" is one of them, but then, "Meow" has many meanings. Marigold is an irresistible ginger cat with a spotted belly, green eyes, and downy cream paws. She has a special bond with a little girl with brown skin and black hair puffs. When she jumps up on the writing table with a "Meow," the girl promptly places Marigold back on the ground. Walking around the corner, Marigold pounces on a ray of sunshine and finds it is a great place for sunbathing. Soon her cat nap is disturbed—"Mm-eee-eee-ow!"—when the little girl accidentally steps on her tail. Like a cat on hot bricks, Marigold runs off and hides under a bed. The little girl sweetly says she is sorry and earns Marigold's forgiveness. Raschka (A Ball for Daisy) arranges the action in graphic novel sequences with moment-to-moment panels and spreads that create smooth transitions between the poignant scenes. The loose watercolor illustrations provide visual cues to the meaning of the floating text that depicts meow sounds varying in length and signifying friendship, hurt, forgiveness, and love. VERDICT Expressive and engaging, this picture book is the cat's meow. A warm portrayal of kids and furry friends that introduces young children to phonics, emotions, and active listening.—Rita Baguio Christensen - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2022 An orange-gold cat with green eyes named Marigold explores a house and playfully interacts with her owner until, distracted, the little girl steps on Marigold’s tail, turning her “meow” into a “me-OW!” and causing her to hide under the bed. But cats are cats, and eventually she comes back out to purr and play and, of course, be petted. This almost wordless picture book—although the handful of wordplay that is included is clever—is done in a mix of graphic novel panels and full-page spreads, almost as a feline response to Raschka’s celebrated dog mini-adventure A Ball for Daisy (2011). His watercolor style has evolved over the years but is still recognizably his, with wide liquid strokes, bright color, and fluid, slightly off-kilter images. There isn’t much substance to the tale, but the simple story nevertheless moves along at a quick pace, and the cat is so unmistakably catlike in its behavior and attitude that cat owners will find a few additional chuckles between the pages. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.