Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 03/01/2020 Adults who know of Gertrude Stein recognize her as a prominent author of the twentieth century. Before introducing children to Stein’s writing, however, this picture-book biography first acknowledges Stein, along with her brother Leo, as an esteemed art collector. In episodic chapters, free verse (that reads more like prose) describes several events from Stein’s adult life in Paris, from having her portrait painted by Picasso and meeting her partner, Alice B. Toklas, to acquiring a dog and publishing her seminal work. Quotes by Stein open each chapter, while stylized cartoonish illustrations in vintage colors from the time period, reminiscent of the work of G. Brian Karas, add depth to Stein’s artistic life. Although the main text closes with Stein’s death, the book continues with a timeline, “Snapshots” that feature illustrated thumbnails and more details about Stein, a bibliography, and an author’s note that returns to Stein as an art collector and also addresses her ties to Nazi collaborators. Together, the poems and the short pieces combine to tell a larger story about this influential literary figure. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.