The Promise

An allegorical tale of hope takes on new life in this stirring, gorgeously illustrated story.

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, holding on with the strength of heroes, 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 thieving girl’s life — and a chance to change the world, for good. Here is the story of a magical discovery that will touch the heart and imagination of every reader, young and old. In an exciting collaboration, author Nicola Davies joins forces with illustrator Laura Carlin to create a contemporary tale inspired by Jean Giono’s 1953 story, L’homme qui plantait des arbres.

Nicola Davies is an award-winning author whose many books for children include Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature, Ice Bear, Big Blue Whale, and the Silver Street Farm series. Underlying all of Nicola Davies’s work is the belief that a relationship with nature is essential for every human being, and that now, more than ever, we need to renew that relationship. She lives in Wales.

Laura Carlin is the illustrator of The Iron Man by Ted Hughes, which was awarded an honorable mention in the Bologna Ragazzi Award fiction category. Her artwork has been featured in Vogue, the New York Times, and the Guardian. The Promise is her first picture book. She lives in London.