Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 11/24/2025 This grounding story from Crimi (Secondhand Dogs) and Knight-Justice (Big Boy Joy) features a keenly perceptive child whose special interest helps him navigate a house move. Crisp text introduces Jayden as "a noticer"-"He noticed web wheels and egg freckles. Tree knuckles and frog songs. Mouse paws and rose petals." The protagonist also finds comfort in a rock collection that variously includes a "thinking rock," a "fort-building rock," and a jar of "wishing rocks" that represent prior, presumably successful, hopes, including for friendship. Jayden isn’t ready for his family’s move to a new home, but upon arrival, his mood lifts with the discovery of another wishing rock (small and brown with a "river of sparkle" running through it). And he soon puts it to use when encountering a possible playmate, a kindred spirit whose presence encourages Jayden to embrace the new residence with optimism. Musical scores, newsprint, and more peek through mottled color in airbrush-textured digital renderings. Sensitive storytelling empathically captures Jayden’s experiences, yielding a supportive story about finding rock-solid stability amid life change. Characters are portrayed with varying brown skin tones. Ages 3-7. Author’s agent: Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Christy Ewers, CAT Agency. (Feb.) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 12/12/2025 PreS-Gr 2—Jayden is sad that he's moving to a new house. He notices a lot and wonders if things will be as good as they were at his old house. One thing he observes is rocks, and he has a large collection, each with a different purpose: a courage rock, a thinking rock, and a whole jar of wishing rocks. As he's riding his bike through the new neighborhood, he notices another kid and stops to introduce himself. This child turns out to be another great observer, and they become friends. Crimi offers a pleasant story with a scientific bent. The idea of noticing things is an easy one for young readers to connect to, and suggesting to kids that they choose one thing to pay attention to would be an enticing way to start a new science unit at school or to introduce to a family trip. Knight-Justice's collage-style artwork is bright and cheerful, which is a good match for the optimistic tone of the story. VERDICT This is a nice story that touches on themes of science and observation as well as making new friends. It makes for a solid addition to any library's picture book collection.—Debbie Tanner - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.