Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/15/2020 *Starred Review* A girl loves building sandcastles on the beach, especially when they’re actual castles with domes and turrets and chandeliers and ornately scalloped ceilings. In fact, her sandcastle is so elaborate that kings and queens come from all over the world to marvel at its majesty. It has an ice rink, carousel, climbing wall, greenhouse, in-home theater, and so much more. At night, there’s a grand party in the ballroom, but by breakfast, the royal guests are beginning to complain of the sand in their food, their clothes, their baths, and their beds. So the master builder starts a sandball fight, and suddenly the sea comes in and washes everyone away. Everything about this book is a joy, from the gorgeous endpapers to the wordless spreads that have an almost Wes Anderson–level of meticulous attention to detail and a Where’s Waldo? number of tiny vignettes to seek and find. The artwork is delightfully whimsical, with medieval knights playing Twister and mummies and pirates and bikini-clad elephants sunbathing among typical beachgoers. It’s lusciously diverse and multicultural in its representation of royalty from across the world (and across time barriers). Best of all, the hidden peekaboos—a unicorn here, a mermaid there, bird-people on the side—make the pages worth revisiting over and over. Every page is an utter pleasure. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 04/15/2020 - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 05/01/2020 PreS-Gr 2—A girl visits the beach and shares her love of building sandcastles with a multitude of characters who come to enjoy the wonder of the expansive castle she makes. Soon, the guests become upset when everything starts to turn to sand. The little girl explains that sand is what the castle is made of, then a sand-ball fight ensues. And, just like that, everything is washed away in the tide. Tsarfati's story is entertaining and shares one little girl's love of sandcastles in a unique way. In a time when technology is all around us, this story reminds us that simple things, like sandcastles, can help our imaginations run rampant. Tsarfati's illustrations are engrossing and detailed, and they could easily be used in a wordless picture book. The detail and vibrancy makes it hard to turn the pages, for there are suprises everywhere. VERDICT Worth considering for purchase. Glimpses of familiar characters, from other books or movies are a special treat.—Maeve Dodds, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, NC - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.