Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 07/01/2025 Treasure comes in many forms. Up until now, Oscar’s daily digging has resulted only in a series of holes, but when he finds an actual chest, he imagines all sorts of wonderful things that may be inside. He is somewhat disappointed to find it full of words. Words, however, have their own value, as Oscar soon discovers. These words are transformational. Throwing fluorescent at a hedgehog turns the creature bright yellow, and slinging grandiose at a simple birdhouse converts it to a multilevel, turreted bird castle. The illustrations are great fun as Oscar explores the collection of expressive terms ranging from monstrous to bulbous to stripy to stark naked (for a plucked chicken). When the chest is empty, however, Oscar is downcast. A neighbor helps him discover the magic of words for himself in order to restock the chest and share the joy. Created by a Swiss duo and translated from German, the text, typography, and expressive illustrations work together to produce an entertaining and thought-provoking celebration of vocabulary. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.