Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2025 K-Gr 2—Quirky, cute, and funny, the title says it all: Bob the snail has become a vampire. He's not sure how, and neither are readers, but it involved a scream, some stomping, a puff of smoke, and then some liquid dripping on his head. Immediately afterward, he was transformed, complete with fangs and tiny bat wings. Fitting in with the other snails is next to impossible now. He tries unsuccessfully to bite another snail, who yells at him, as well as a bear who growls at him, and settles on sucking the juice from tomatoes. After hypnotizing a mouse to bring him more tomatoes, he meets a vampire worm. The two become friends and hang out—literally—in an underground cave, which becomes their new home. Along the way, a tiny beetle provides commentary and great facts about snails and vampires. The palette is superbly Halloween: dark purples, garish oranges, and ghostly green and white highlights. Despite his fangs, Bob appears goofy and wholesome. Although the story does a fine job of explaining that Bob drinks tomato juice instead of blood, the circumstances under which he became a vampire are rushed and will likely raise questions from children. VERDICT Slightly confusing at times, this unlikely vampire tale is excellent Halloween fun.—Benjamin Ludwig - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Other - 06/09/2025 Something going "THUD!" in the night has turned the once-ordinary snail protagonist of this picture book into a vampire-he gains not only wings but fangs, too: "Bob was fairly certain they were new," Zuill writes, instantly connecting with many young readers’ appreciation for the absurd. It’s gothic goofiness as Bob-whose googly eyestalks speak volumes-now finds he no longer fits into the snail community. But vampirism has perks: Bob develops spunk, savors bloodred tomatoes, and chugs through the air unleashing an impressive "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA." And when he encounters a similarly transformed worm-sporting a mini Dracula cape-the snail fully embraces the creatures’ dual destiny. Bob’s journey from basic gastropod to bat-like Nosferatu, delivered with Mad magazine-worthy laughs, is a work that young readers can sink their teeth into. Ages 4-8. (Aug.) - Copyright 2025