Written by Nicola Davies, Illustrated by Laura Carlin
The city is a mean, dark, ugly, and broken place. No one smiles. A young girl tries to steal a bag from an old woman in an alley. The girl thinks she has stolen some food and money, but before the old woman would let go of the bag she asks the young girl to promise her that she would plant them. Plant what? The young girl soon finds out when she opens the old woman’s bag.
A very profound story of how one person can make a difference in the lives of others. A story of how people can lose hope and become discouraged about life and then the story shows how the positive acts of a single person can help bring back life, light and hope.
The illustrations are quite unique and start out in browns, greys, black and white but then change and then brighter colors are put in as the story progresses.
Review by Marjorie Briggs, Oquirrh Hills Elementary Media Center
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 2-6
Author Website: http://www.nicola-davies.com/index.php
The Promise
Written by Nicola Davies, Illustrated by Laura Carlin
Candlewick Press
40 pages
Release Date: March 11, 2014
ISBN: 9780763666330 (hardcover)