Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 05/26/2025 Delicate chalk and digital renderings by Guojing (The Flamingo) engross in this wordless story about a house precariously perched on the edge of a seaside overhang. Soft-edged panels showcase a growing family’s days as inhabitants of the bright-red home. Muted imagery first depicts a loving couple venturing forth via a rowboat and caringly cutting a dolphin loose from netting. The season shifts, and the couple appear in silhouette, this time revealing a baby bump. Joy emanates from proceeding visuals of a young child exuberantly walking, biking, sledding, swinging, swimming- the landscape routinely proving as much a character as the figures. When the large waves of a storm arrive, seemingly resulting in a permanent sea rise, the threat to the little abode is clear, and the trio, portrayed with pale skin and dark hair, enact an unlikely plan to save their home in the face of forces beyond their control. Though the book’s climax doesn’t fully cohere, recurrent symbols expressively convey narrative shifts, while bird’s-eye views of the house and terrain give the work an epic quality. The result is a resonant portrait of adaptation that’s at once sorrowful and triumphant. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 08/01/2025 K-Gr 3—Perched on the edge of a seaside cliff is a house which, despite its precarious balance, protects a treasured family inside. The family grows; what also grows are their efforts to preserve the natural habitats found in the land and sea nearby. When a substantial storm dramatically alters the landscape around the house, however, the family must decide how their lives will change as a result. And through it all, the house weathers the challenges alongside the family, continuing to offer loving protection from the unexpected events taking place around them all. This nostalgic, wordless picture book recounts a riveting story through imagery alone. Much like a graphic novel, several of the pages are subdivided into smaller frames to focus on specific moments within the story, crafting a narrative flow that is complete with tension and denouement. Soft hues and textures form the foundation of each image, giving the visuals a diffuse appearance that suggests a dreamlike, whimsical quality. Though climate change and environmental protection are primary themes in the story, so is the resilience of one particular family. Readers will be inspired to create their own narrative based on the images in this book, inviting conversation and reflection especially surrounding the book's more emotional moments. VERDICT Imaginative and thought-provoking, this beautifully crafted, wordless book is a profound addition to library collections for young readers.—Mary Lanni - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.