Bound To Stay Bound

Publishers Weekly - 04/13/2026 Three forest friends, equal parts acorn- and gnome-like, endeavor to write "a beautiful song" in this easygoing picture book from Slack (Kitties on Dinosaurs). As pals Dot, Button, and Dollop enjoy "sunshine... and big juicy berries!" a bird’s song inspires the woodsy trio to try their hands at instrumentation. After gathering a drum, flute, and piano, the budding songwriters’ initial efforts result in little more than a cacophony of onomatopoeia ("SQUEEEE"). In the aftermath, one laments that "it was not a song," but quick comfort arrives from another: "It was a not-YET song." After "beautiful thoughts" also fail to produce the desired result, the group’s feathered pal intercedes with brief instruction, and the three-piece band successfully emit the sonorous sounds they’d been seeking and model a simple gratitude. Brightened with yellow-green hues, digital renderings remniscent of Over the Garden Wall unfold across panels whose simple thought-bubble dialogue is easily interpreted sequentially. In this low-conflict telling, the characters work through a learning curve with a genial enthusiasm whose lingering effect charts a positive path toward further series titles. Publishing simultaneously: A Star Wish. Ages 3-7. Agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (June) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.

Booklist - 05/01/2026 A band of woodland friends try making music as sweet as a visiting bluebird’s song in this newest graphic offering by illustrator-author Slack. Dot, Button, and Dollop greet a forest day filled with sunshine and berries and are so inspired by their visitor’s song that they’d like to try it themselves. They squeeee, bam, and plonk on their instruments, hoping to produce sweet and happy music, but they turn out something that’s just loud, not beautiful as they’d hoped. With wordless guidance, the bird instructs them to tap on the drum, plink the piano keys, and offers a helpful suggestion for Dollop to put the flute in his mouth rather than his nostril to create a pleasant twee. Along with a feather, the bird leaves the friends a tune they can play, and in return, the bird is given a bunch of berries and a sweet, hand-drawn note from the thankful trio. An enchanting forest digitally rendered with a watercolor-brushstroke look in warm greens and easy-to-follow rectangular panels with clear speech bubbles make this sweet story about sharing gifts perfect for emerging comics readers. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.