A story of personal and ecological redemption, The Promise is a moving and didactic story. * Recommended Reads *
a poignant, honest and lyrical story * Bath Magazine *
simple but magical fable ... beautiful and sophisticated book * Booktrust *
A lovely book -- Simon Barnes * The Times *
a beautiful picture book for young children. Tender and touching, and delivering a vital message for our time . . . I think it truly deserves to become a classic * Awfully Big Blog Adventure *
One part Melvin Burgess, one part Rachel Carson . . . I was floored * Playing by the Book *
This is a book that I would love to give to every child . . . I was captivated . . . beautiful, both in its presentation and its message of hope * Kids' Book Review *
Unusual and sophisticated . . . a book to treasure and to return to again and again, providing an inspiring, touching and life-affirming tale -- Catherine Larner * BBC Radio Suffolk *
One of my favourite picture books of the year * Jackie Morris, illustrator of How the Whale Became by Ted Hughes *
a powerful, moving and inspiring story to treasure * Suffolk *
What would a world without greenery be like? Laura Carlin knows. This is her first picture book and it is superb. She plunges us into a haunting, hunted, feral world of greys, off-whites and beiges where the people have downturned mouths. The narrator steals an old lady's bag - expecting money or food and finds: acorns. You can guess the rest as she goes on a plantathon transforming roundabouts, abandoned parks and lifeless streets. Nicola Davies's tale of transformation is timely, compelling and beautifully told. Seeds for thought. -- Kate Kellaway * The Guardian *
This is a most lovely book with which to inspire everyone . . . Even the grey static city illustrated at the beginning has its own stark beauty, but by the end the pages are glowing with colour and movement * Norfolk Library Service *
Holds up a mirror to our dying, degraded cities, and then, with a simple gesture, present us with a most beautiful and transformational resolution . . . What is most profound about The Promise is that Nicola Davies takes a complex issue like urban decay, and shows us in simple, elegant prose the human cost - in a state of nature deficit, we cannot thrive. . . a deeply moving and gloriously illustrated book that does not shy away from scenes of despair, nor does it suffer from a failure of the imagination, like so many other stories with an environmental message. On the contrary, Davies and Carlin envision a brighter, more communal, and nature-abundant future, in the actionable now * 32 Pages *
A story about hope, community and change. It sends a positive message about the power we have as an individual to make a positive impact on our surroundings. . . he book reminds us that it is essential for us to coexist with nature in harmony and balance, that the protection and respect of nature is crucial for the survival for all species on our planet * Magpie That *
The lyrical beauty of Nicola Davies' words is complemented by Laura Carlin's powerful illustrations; this is a touching and beautiful story about how small acts of compassion can radically change the world we live in. * Amnesty.org.uk *
