Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/01/2025 *Starred Review* Toby is a lovable dog who struggles to make friends in his new neighborhood. He tries to connect with other dogs by leaving messages—and in classic dog fashion, those messages are all in smells—but they keep getting ruined. One day, Toby stumbles upon a very special ball: it's old and very gross, so, perfect for dogs! However, it turns out the ball belongs to another dog, Pancake. This leads to a misunderstanding where the other neighborhood dogs believe Toby took Pancake's ball on purpose, and Toby tries to set things right with even more smells and, just maybe, to finally make a friend. Heder's charming watercolor illustrations and gentle storytelling emphasize the importance of empathy, patience, and second chances, and the neighborhood dogs' messages, which are full of colorful personality and add lively detail about the dogs' everyday concerns, bring a healthy dose of humor to the text. Exploring themes of loneliness, confronting fears, and the importance of communication, Toby's journey shows that, though we might feel misunderstood, there is always a way to find connection with others, especially when we take the time to listen and understand. A lovely read full of heart and lessons about friendship, delivered with playful comedy. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.