Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 03/17/2025 Evergreen Forest is "a very nice forest with very nice trees and very nice flowers," writes Ferry (Prunella). It’s also very dull, at least until a trio of "word-loving, wandering wombats" arrive and launch a linguistic awakening among the forest’s inhabitants. With an eager duckling following along, the irrepressible marsupials teach "tired" and "very tired" turtles new descriptors for their state: exhausted and weary. Catching on fast, the turtles realize after a rest and a snack that revitalized and invigorated best suit how they’re now feeling. Inspired, the duckling helps school her own family: why describe flowers as "nice" when exquisite and fragrant are so much more delicious to say? Their work done, the wombats deputize the ducky star pupil with an "Honorary Word Wombat" badge. And when she tells them "things won’t be the same without you," they respond with apt assurance: "They’ll be EXTRAORDINARY!" Buoyant mixed-media illustrations by Nichols (Finnegan Fox) underscore the forest’s transformation with playful textures, round shapes, and mind-expanding words set in bold black capitals. It’s a read that relishes how richer words aren’t just the stuff of vocabulary lists but splendiferous tools for understanding the world. Ages 4-8. Author’s agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. Illustrator’s agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary & Media. (June) - Copyright 2025

Booklist - 06/01/2025 Here’s a “splendiferous” tale of how three word-loving wombats create enthusiasm and optimism in a rather bland forest of “weary” creatures. The trio of wombats is passing though the nice Evergreen Forest, where animals hardly speak to one another and where, when they do, it’s with dull, boring, and overused words. A curious duckling joins the three and is “gobsmacked” at all the new words that can be used when communicating with others: sweltering rather than hot, parched in place of thirsty, and exhausted instead of tired. The wombats, with the assistance of their sidekick, help some porcupines, some turtles, and the duckling’s family learn new ways of expressing themselves, bringing new energy to the forest. Words are introduced that are fun to pronounce, including skedaddle, chortle, squabble, and hullabaloo. Nichols’ charming, colorful illustrations were created using pen and ink, acrylics, and watercolors. “Little Duckling’s Ducktionary” appears at the conclusion of the “exuberant” tale filled with a “plethora” of new vocabulary words that readers will take delight in adopting. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.