Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/01/2025 PreS-Gr 3—Four glittery kittens set out for the day, certain they will outshine their less-than-sparkly friends. When the kittens finally find their hiding buddies, now wearing sunglasses, a game of hide-and-seek is suggested. While the kittens hide, their friends promise to "count to a million and three" and then come searching. As the friends relish in the kittens' absence, they forget to count and accidentally set a glitter-eating monster on the kittens' path. Faced with the choice of ignoring their sometimes-overwhelming pals or stepping in, the friends ultimately choose this as their moment to shine and rush off to help. The colored pencil and glitter illustrations feature fixed-expression cats that hover between sweet and unsettling, a style that may not appeal to every reader. Illustrations and even wordless panels are essential to the story's flow, requiring readers to interpret visual cues to grasp the action and underlying humor. While the narrative plays with themes of identity, personality differences, and the bonds of friendship, the subtlety of these ideas may slip past younger children expecting a straightforward, cute kitty adventure. Still, the balance of text and illustration, along with the unexpected monster twists, adds interest for all those who appreciate offbeat picture books. VERDICT A solid addition to picture book collections, best for libraries looking for quirky stories to add to their rotation.—Louie Lauer - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.