Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/15/2022 *Starred Review* Schu's debut picture book salutes the school community and the positive role it plays in kids' lives. Beginning with a child (This is a kid. This is a kid in a class), everyone is welcomed to this place where one can look, listen, ask, learn, share, and help. Some days go well (creating, cheering, playing); others present challenges (when we fail or can't be together); but overall, school is a collection of important people, adults and students alike. Jamison's watercolor, acrylic, and digital-collage illustrations employ a sunny palette, well suited to the text's upbeat tone. A bright-yellow school bus delivers smiling students of different races and ability to this cheerful, well-cared-for building. Employing a pleasing mix of full-page spreads and smaller scenes, readers are transported to a variety of familiar settings: the library; the playground; art and music rooms; as well as science and math classes. Short sentences and recurring phrases give the story a subtle rhythm that works especially well for prereaders, who will undoubtedly be curious about what goes on behind a school’s doors. Schu emphasizes the school as a community, where growth, celebrations, transformations, and work all occur, providing a reassuring introduction to this near-universal experience.Schu’s debut picture book salutes the school community and the positive role it plays in kids’ lives. Beginning with a child (“This is a kid. This is a kid in a class”), everyone is welcomed to this place where one can look, listen, ask, learn, share, and help. Some days go well (creating, cheering, playing); others present challenges (when we fail or can’t be together); but overall, school is a collection of important people, adults and students alike. Jamison’s watercolor, acrylic, and digital-collage illustrations employ a sunny palette, well suited to the text’s upbeat tone. A bright-yellow school bus delivers smiling students of different races and abilities to this cheerful, well-cared-for building. Employing a pleasing mix of full-page spreads and smaller scenes, the book transports readers to a variety of familiar settings: the library, the playground, and art and music rooms, as well as science and math classes. Short sentences and recurring phrases give the story a subtle rhythm that works especially well for prereaders, who will undoubtedly be curious about what goes on behind a school’s doors. Schu emphasizes the school as a community, where growth, celebrations, transformations, and work all occur, providing a reassuring introduction to this near-universal experience. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

Booklist - 02/15/2022 - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2022 PreS-Gr 3—This book opens with a single student, from a single class that goes out into a single hallway, and shows readers a school teeming with life. A solid choice for classrooms and libraries looking for updated beginning of the year or school stories. - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.