Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/01/2025 It’s likely you’ve heard of pizza rats, but Ratnip and his siblings are the real deal. They live in an old pizzeria and are all named after pizza toppings: Anchovy, Pepperoni, Veggie, and, of course, Ratnip, whose actual name is Extra Cheese Scratchy Paws Sniffsa-Lot. This cute series starter follows Ratnip through what begins as a regular evening in the city and turns into a gentle adventure. After foraging in a playground trashcan with his pal Cookie (a raccoon), Ratnip goes in search of some bubble wrap for a bubblepopping contest with his brother. While this mission is a success, the little rodent also finds something very peculiar—a rectangle (phone) that vibrates and shows a picture of a human whom Ratnip recognizes as a local jogger. Ratnip recruits other animals to help him return the phone to its owner, with plenty of comic hiccups along the way. This sweet-spirited tale is divided into 10 illustrated chapters that will amuse young readers while casting often maligned urban wildlife (pigeons, cockroaches, squirrels) in a flattering light. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.