SUMMARY
Davies, Nicola. The Promise. Illus. Laura Carlin. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2014. Print.This is a picture book that may be read again and again. Its meaning and message has several layers and needs to be peeled like an onion. Davies and Carlin work together seamlessly to create and build tone and mood throughout the book while the reader is taken on a journey.The Promise is the story of a young girl living and growing up in a “mean and hard and ugly” city who has a chance encounter with an old lady. A promise is made that will change everything.Davies, a zoologist, is an award winning author and has written several other children’s books about nature and animals. In The Promise she develops a story that emphasizes the importance of our relationship with nature, particularly in the urban setting. The illustrations by Laura Carlin, are beautifully crafted from mixed media. For a children’s book, they are at first shockingly gloomy and depressing. This however, perfectly matches Davies descriptive and figurative language of an ugly city where, the “streets were dry as dust… never blessed with rain” and “a gritty yellow wind blew constantly, scratching around the buildings like a hungry dog.” The pages are initially dark, moody and mysterious, playing with various shades of gray and sepia. As the story line becomes more uplifting and lively, so do the pictures with pops of colour. Bright reds, greens, oranges and yellows, show bright displays of life and activity as “Green spread through the city like a song”. Carlin’s illustrations not only enhance the messages portrayed in the words of the book, but also build mood and evoke emotion.The Promise is a story of hope and how one person can be the change in this world. This book is appropriate for all ages, but the depth of the messages and multiple layers make it well suited for upper elementary. Teachers and librarians will want this book in their library.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Michele Wilson McCuneAs an elementary school teacher for Edmonton Catholic School Division and a mother of four, Michele loves reading and sharing literature with the important children in her life. She is currently working on completing her master’s degree in Elementary Education with a focus in Language and Literacy.