Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/16/2019 PreS-Gr 1-Bilal is excited to introduce his favorite food, daal (South Asian lentils), to his friends. As the story unfolds, it maintains a flow of events that keeps readers in step with the time it takes to cook the dish. The anticipation builds throughout the story and keeps the interest focused on the result. The aim being the finished product and how it will taste to someone who has never tasted this dish before. Each child's reaction is unique and each child has a reaction to contribute. The author uses food as a way to create common ground and bridge cultures. The illustrations are charming and the facial expressions of the children are endearing. The recipe itself, diversity of the characters, and the father taking on the role as a cook and enlisting his son to help prepare dinner are interwoven themes that make this book perfect for reading discussions among preschoolers. The book also shows that the deepest flavors come with ingredients that simmer gently. This teaches patience to youngsters. The story can prompt discussions about patience, friendship, expanding your palate, measurements, and spices. A fun introduction to cross cultural sharing but any South Asian cook will testify that it takes no more than two hours to produce the perfect daal, not four to five hours as stated.-Noureen Qadir-Jafar, Syosset Library, NY - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.