Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/12/2024 PreS-Gr 3—A young Black girl learns what gets her mama through the everyday: step. When Mama is racially profiled in her own neighborhood? STOMP CLAP. When a white woman asks to touch her hair in a grocery store? FLIP FLAP, GO HARD. When our young narrator is told she "play(s) too rough?" SNAP BACK. She learns from her mother's sorority sister, her aunt, and a community leader that step is about sisterhood and tradition; passed down through generations born into slavery and then flourishing in Black Greek organizations. She is encouraged by her mother and aunt to join her own step team, and this is where the story ends—in a dance studio, steppin' with her new sisters. Colorful illustrations literally show the soul and energy that each of these women and girls put into their steps. It radiates off them like bright sunlight, jumping off the page. In the text, readers will feel the beat in their heart with the sounds of step appearing in larger type, so they can't be missed. This mother-daughter duo of creators includes back matter for those interested in what step is, a short time line, and resources for learning more. VERDICT A wonderfully rhythmic picture book on an aspect of Black culture that is not often highlighted in the picture book format.—Kerri L. Williams - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2024 Rhodes and McWilliams offer a vibrant story centering on familial love and cultural heritage shared between mother and daughter. Through the eyes of a young girl, readers are called into the world of step, a percussive dance tradition rooted in African and African American history. Observing her mom’s rhythmic movements during moments of frustration and joy, she discovers the power of self-expression showcased in the beauty of step and its role in fostering connections. This story touches on many difficult topics, including the reverberating effects of slavery and prejudice, but emphasizes how solidarity and resilience within communities can be restorative, ultimately providing both a window and mirror for young readers. Evoking the warmth of oil pastels in vibrant hues and textured strokes, the illustrations nicely capture step's energy and emotion, calling readers to feel the beat pulsating throughout the storyline and drawing attention to key movements of hands and feet during the routines. This energetic introduction to a Black American dance tradition showcases the joy of channeling big feelings into artistic expression and will get kids' toes tapping. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.