Bound To Stay Bound

Publishers Weekly - 05/04/2026 A child’s material wants drive this moving tale from Medina and Mora. Waking up and preparing for the day, young Emilia wishes for her own bed rather than the one she shares, sugary breakfast cereal instead of toasted tortillas, and more. The pattern continues as the Latinx-cued family shops at a big-box store for clothes ("a treat compared to the hand-me-downs she usually wears") and Emilia’s mama puts the pared-down pile on layaway. In pencil, charcoal, watercolor, and ink, real-life scenes are tinged with saturated blues and greens, while bright pinks and yellows accompany hoped-for objects and situations. A long-awaited return to the store-and the sight of Emilia’s hardworking mother, relieved and joyful at having made her final payment-results in a perspective-shifting narrative that acknowledges, and appreciates, a mother’s devotion. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4-8. (June) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2026 Emilia, a young girl from a modest family, longs for her own bed, a new car, and a big house with a large lawn. When her family shops at the run-down strip mall, Emilia can’t help but yearn for the fancy mall across town. Even so, trying on clothes there feels like a rare treat compared to her usual hand-me-downs. She longs for all the outfits she models for her mama and sisters, but alas, they must whittle down their selections to a small pile, which goes on layaway. Month after month, Emilia waits as mama works tirelessly until, finally, the last payment is made. Smiling at the new clothes and her beautiful, beaming mama, Emilia realizes she couldn’t wish for more. Textured illustrations rendered in pencil, charcoal, watercolor, and ink capture Emilia’s disappointments, desires, and joyful discovery of gratitude. She and her family are depicted with brown skin, and Spanish occasionally appears in the dialogue and background scenes of the town. A heartwarming story about family, love, and the riches that money cannot buy. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/12/2026 PreS-Gr 2—A humbling story that serves as a reminder of the difference between what we want and what we truly need. The story follows Emilia, a young girl who longs for her own bed; a new family car; and new clothes from the mall, not a thrift store. After witnessing her mother work hard and sacrifice for months to pay for the clothes that she put on layaway for her family, Emilia beams at the relief and joy her mother exudes. This book is an easy read that discusses heavy socioeconomic themes without overwhelming younger audiences. The book weaves Spanish and English throughout. Watercolor illustrations breathe life into Emilia's world. Emilia and her family have brown hair and skin. VERDICT A simple and beautiful story that teaches lessons of family and gratitude.—Jazmyne Baylor - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.