Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 01/19/2024 PreS-Gr 3—An amazing adventure written entirely in haiku. Manley takes readers through a hike to the summit of a mountain. The details conveyed in each set of three lines fully express the journey through the levels up the mountain path. Readers join in the traveler's experience and in the end, will want to find their own mountains to climb. Besides simply sharing the book in story hours, educators can use it in poetry lessons, story writing, the study of mountain ecosystems, nature hikes, and more. Mann's deceptively simple sketches communicate a vast array of colors, textures, diversity, and warmth in the world; readers will want to pore over every detail on every page. It is a clean, crisp story with simple, comfortable art that exudes adventure, curiosity and the intricacies of the natural world. VERDICT A small quest, told in a short-poem form that has a wide-ranging impact, this one little volume can be used and enjoyed in so many ways.—Cassie Veselovsky - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/17/2024 *Starred Review* A young boy and his family awaken at their campsite and prepare to hike Oregon's South Sister, a dormant volcano. In a series of haiku, the child recounts his memories of this trek: annoying mosquitoes that swarm his face, tiny toads found on the forest floor, glaciers with snow that sometimes obscures the path, a mountain lake and a pumice desert, a marmot sunning on a boulder, a trail-mix snack, soaring ravens and colorful butterflies, and the amazing view from the summit. The verses are succinct yet very effective in conveying a sense of the trip: “how to stay warm / in the forest shade: / swat mosquitoes” and “is this the trail? / a line of pawprints / from a bobcat.” Mann's colorful mixed-media artwork captures the majesty of the Cascade Mountain range (“boulders as big / as buildings”) as well as the flora and fauna to be found there (“hawk floats on a thermal / looking for prey”). She makes use of varied panel sizes, enabling her to capture the essence of each haiku. Her double-page spreads depict wide vistas, while smaller close-ups portray intimate family moments. With generous back matter (geologic history, hiking necessities, haiku information, flora and fauna details, bibliography), this makes a great read-aloud or prelude to a family adventure. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.