Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2026 PreS-Gr 2—Eddie, a young boy with light brown skin, awakes with dread on a rainy and dreary Monday morning. Closing his eyes in avoidance, a mental tempest rises in his mind. Amid the dark, ominous clouds and lightning flashes, a larger-than-life, golden yellow rabbit emerges from the turmoil to navigate Eddie through his worry: "storms are nothing to fear if you know where you're going. And we, Eddie, are going to find the sun." Soaring on a cloud above the storm, Eddie and Rabbit wander through color saturated, textured clay dreamscapes sculpted by Harkness digitally. An enchanted river, sprinkled with as many sparkling stars as above, sweeps Eddie and Rabbit away to a verdant maze, where they frolic and weave, Eddie's confidence growing among the lush greenery. Pausing on the brightest spread of the story, Eddie whispers to Rabbit, "I found the sun." Across sprawling, full spread illustrations, each an individual treasure, Harkness demonstrates the capabilities of shape as a leading visual element. A breathtaking palette of deep, serene blues melding with bright moments of yellow and buttery cream creates dramatic contrast between light and dark, '"It's only in the dark," Rabbit whispered, "That we can shine the brightest."' VERDICT A whimsical morning lullaby, this SEL adventure will gently guide readers to find the sun amid their own fears.—Emily Brush - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.