Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 08/04/2025 As a narrator endeavors to tell a simple story entitled "My First Dog," an endearing "piggypine" (part pig, part porcupine) attempts to insert itself into the tale. Appearing at the end of one story, the snout-nosed creature makes its way onto the page, looking for a spot of its own. Explaining "you’re an idea that never got finished," the unsympathetic speaker notes that another story’s about to start, then kicks off the tale of Ruby, a pale-skinned girl who loves dogs. As Piggypine insistently disrupts the telling, the increasingly frustrated narrative voice coldly informs, "There’s no room in this story for a piggypine." That verdict remains unchanged even after the creature offers more about itself (favorite food: "paper towels and honey"). But as the narrator attempts to kick Piggypine off the page, Ruby comes to the rescue, highlighting the way sometimes even a writer doesn’t know where things are going. Morris’s polished dialogue and Santoso’s emotive, colored pencil-like digital drawings tie together the narrative tug-of-war. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 10/31/2025 K-Gr 3—Santoso's (Feeling Grateful) delightful illustrations bring to life Piggypine, a half pig, half porcupine who can't run, fly, or spell and whose favorite food is toilet paper with honey, but who is desperate to find his story. This book details Piggypine's increasingly intrusive efforts to force his way into a different story, "My First Dog," where a girl named Ruby gets her first dog unless Piggypine can find a way to alter the plot. In Morris's (Bear Came Along) throwback to meta favorites such as Jon Agee's There's a Wall in the Middle of This Book, Piggypine addresses both Ruby and an unseen narrator. As Ruby realizes that perhaps Piggypine might be the perfect pet for her after all, Piggypine rejoices in finding his own story at last. Terrific pacing and a clever use of endpapers bring text and illustration together in a way that is satisfying not just to Ruby and Piggypine, but to readers as well: Piggypine is perfect just being himself. VERDICT A great read-aloud that will have readers of all ages rooting for Piggypine to find his story. Recommended.—Rebecca Kirshenbaum - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 10/01/2025 A narrator has just concluded a tale when an unusual illustration bursts onto the scene, looking for his story. The confused narrator inquires further, but the little fellow is equally bewildered. “Someone drew me on a piece of paper, and then everything went dark,” he muses, introducing himself as a Piggypine: half pig, half porcupine, and all adorable appeal with his rotund tum, soft quills, and curly tail. Unfortunately, the impatient narrator needs to begin another story about a young girl adopting her first dog and politely asks Piggypine to exit. The undeterred animal instead inserts himself into “My First Dog” in increasingly silly ways, wriggling his way into the central narrative and an unexpectedly happy ending. The hilarious story-within-a-story routine works wonderfully, and readers will have no trouble tracking character contributions due to different fonts assigned to every individual. Piggypine’s irrepressible spirit and unflagging enthusiasm are a joy, and soft, pencil-like illustrations cleverly capture his remarkable range of emotions and movements. Come for the marvelously memorable Piggypine and leave with a new appreciation for the power of perseverance. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.