Shortlisted for the 2015 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal The Promise is a story with a strong green message - about the power we have to transform our world - and features breathtaking design and illustration. A perfect book to share with young children. It is also a story of a magical discovery that will touch the heart and imagination of every reader, young and old. With poignant simplicity, honesty and lyricism, Nicola Davies evokes a powerful vision of a world where people and nature live in harmony. And Laura Carlin's delicate illustrations capture a young girl's journey from a harsh, urban reality to the beauty and vitality of a changed world. It is moving, touching, unforgettable.
It received a BolognaRagazzi Award Special Mention in 2014 & was shortlisted for The Little Rebels Children's Book Award 2014.
"This tale is a sturdy one that is made even more emphatic by Davies's terse writing style. The text is heightened in every way by Carlin's outstanding mixed-media artwork." - Booklist (starred review)
On a mean street in a mean, broken city, a young girl tries to snatch an old woman's bag. But the frail old woman says the thief can't have it without giving something in return: the promise. It is the beginning of a journey that will change the girl's life - and a chance to change the world, for good.