Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 06/23/2025 Assonant, rhythmic prose from Barnard Booth (One Day This Tree Will Fall) and gothic paintings by Finkelday (On a Mushroom Day) work hand-in-hand to create a hypnotic group portrait of crows. First-person singular opening lines ("I am not I at all") drive home the book’s emphasis on collectivity via a rapid shift to first-person plural ("one set of eyes/ isn’t nearly enough.// We feel it/ we all feel it,/ when the sun starts to set"). There’s an air of enchantment as text suggests, "We must sound like witches to you./ The ones from your tales./ The ones that cackle and cast evil spells," before revealing the actual mechanics at play: "A spell that binds one to many/ and turns I to we." Dramatic, smudgy renderings of the charcoal-colored subjects contrasted against twilit skies echo high-stakes descriptions of nighttime dangers and communal roosting ("We might stay alive/ if we cuddle,/ if we huddle"). Remarkably effective in transforming a murder of crows from a fearsome- to fearful-seeming grouping, the creators also underscore the uniquely effective manner in which the birds work collectively to endure. Back matter includes further information and an author’s note. Ages 5-8. (Sept.) - Copyright 2025

Booklist - 09/01/2025 *Starred Review* Inky black crows spill across a wintry night sky, observing and comprehending their surroundings. The crows are cognizant that they’re stronger together, and as the sun disappears, they call one another to roost with a cacophony of caws. Don’t let their witchy ways cause a fright; their only magic is in the way they change from individual animal to a melded murder. For the flock, it’s not “he” or “she”; it’s simply “we.” They crowd together, watching for danger from the “dark-seeing, nightfeeding, crow-eating creatures” and sharing space above noisy, clanking cars and humans scurrying though the windblown darkness. A late-night attack in the form of a glowering owl sees the flock rise as one, whirling, twirling, and diving at the interloper until it’s driven away, the crows regrouping to claim their sweet sleep until dawn disperses them once again. This seemingly simple subject becomes a sweeping saga, brought beautifully to life by the lovely lyrical text that reads as elegantly and playfully as the crows themselves behave. And though black birds on nighttime backgrounds sounds like a recipe for uninteresting artwork, the illustrations offer a rich tapestry of dark, swirling tones punctuated by luminous eyes, brilliant beams of light, and the oncoming glow of sunrise. Helpful back matter expands on crow behavior and survival skills. An utterly enchanting and unusual exploration of avian behavior. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.