Thank you to NetGalley for granting this ARC, super cute and fast read. The illustrations were adorable and the story was cute.

Same rich and colorful illustrations we’ve come to expect from Marianne Richmond with lyrical themes to uplift little hearts.

This is a cute and heartfelt rhyming book about a mother's promise to her child. The illustrations look like watercolors and they are beautifully done.

Sweet Book with Lovely Message

This is a sweet book about the promises, stated or otherwise, that parents make to their children, from the earliest age to when they are grown up and leaving the nest. It is told in rhyming verse that doesn't always scan 100% right, but it is still lovely. The illustrations are a little less refined than I like, and I thought the spots on the cheeks at times were very overdone. Still, this book had sweet messages of love, caring, and commitment by parents to supply what a child needs on every level. A charming book.

This is such a sweet book for a parent or guardian to read to their child. They are several promises made to the child that they will keep throughout their lives. Deep yet simple.

Definitely cried reading this to my kids. Lovely text, lovely illustrations, lovely message. Will be buying when it comes out to give to my sister at her baby shower.

This was a thoughtful story that I'm sure parents will love but am not sure how much it will appeal to kids.

This book is full of heart. A mother tells her child all the things she promises to be as the child grows and finally leaves the nest. She promises to let the child become who she is. To help her figure things out. How to navigate the world as she grows. And the most important promise is of acceptance, even thought they are a part of the same family.

The font is delightfully spread out to highlight the words of truth.

"I Promise You" by Marianne Richmond is a new picture book talking about the promises that a parent can make to a child. The premise of the book is wonderful. Although the parent can't make promises like life will be perfect or easy, the parent does promise to support and nurture the child.

Here's the thing, the book has such a sweet sentiment but completely fails in the follow through. After reading this book with my kids, they had no idea what it was about. So if the intended audience is children, then this book misses the mark completely. The wording is overly complicated and the concepts are more difficult for young readers to comprehend without a thorough discussion with an adult. As an adult reading this book, some of the wording was odd and I did not like the flow of the book. It was difficult to read out loud and it was lacking the traditional rhythmic movement of children's stories. Although I can appreciate the idea behind the story, the book fails in the execution of the well intentioned concepts.

I promise you acceptance of ways you're not me, even though we are part of the same family.

What does a promise do for those that trust you? It gives reassurance that they belong, that they are accepted, that they have a voice, and that they have home. They are always welcomed. This is a promise book on the ways you can promise your child all that the human heart longs for. It also is realistic that we can't promise easy, perfect or fair. It is the suffering that we feel the love the most. That we will be there to walk thru all those times that it wasn't easy, perfect or fair.

This is one of those books that a child will treasure and a parent will see seeds of confidence grow.

Highly recommend.

A special thank you to Sourcebooks Kids and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Simple,heart warming,cute.Parent's love is the purest of all .Unconditional love ,this book sums it very well.The illustrations are in pastel colors which gives this book required softness.

The book is heartwarming and provides children with a feeling of security. The illustrations thoughtfully portrays the author’s words and provides a great visual for smaller children.

This is a cute story to read to your children. Is all about having high hopes for them and also that you will be there for them through all of it.

This is a sweet narrative poem which shares the promises from a parent to a child from the earliest of days as a family through the years that follow.

When you first came to me,
so little and new
I held you close
and rocked you slow
and made a promise to you

This is how this poem begins, and it goes through the years, promising time for laughing and play, time for noticing the moments. Promising their right to make choices, and 'your own voice and what lights you within', but also as they are growing and full of 'knowing,' promising limits for 'your coming and going.' As this continues, promising help and guidance, but not easy or fair, but promising 'listening to the feelings you share.'

A beautiful story-poem, one that parents and children will love the rhythm of the words, the sweetness of the softly illustrated pictures that accompany them, this story reminded me of some of my favourite books I read to my own when they were little, and can still recite from memory.


Pub Date: 06 Oct 2020

Many thanks for the ARC provided by SOURCEBOOKS Kids / Sourcebooks Jabberwocky via NetGalley

I received an electronic ARC from Sourcebook Kids through NetGalley.
Softly colored illustrations underscore the tone for this story of a parent and child. From birth, they promise love and freedom to grow. Richmond takes readers through the growing up and finding their life years with gentle words of nurture and support.
The rhyme scheme doesn't always work but it makes the theme clear.
Delightful book to buy for new parents.

A promise is a promise right? This tender book sends a wonderful message of incessant love from a mother's heart to her beloved child.

She reiterates all the times in her little one's life that she makes him promises out of the abundance of love that she has for him. She commits to keeping him safe and caring for him unconditionally... always! This amazing mom shares that life can be hard and sometimes unfair but she pledges to be there, ever guiding and loving him, all through his life's journey.

She vows to listen, to be present, to love and her ultimate promise? ... provide a forever home in her heart for her precious child.

The illustrations are endearing and kid-friendly. The message is uplifting and beautiful.


"When you first came to me
so little and so new
I held you close
and rocked you slow
and made a promise to you
I promise you love
for your lifetime through.
Steady, endless and sure,
this I promise you."

This reassuring message is sure to stay tucked in her child's heart long after he has spread his wings and flown from the shelter of his childhood home. I love the book and I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for gifting me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The illustrations in this book are endearing in a childlike drawing sort of way. They’re not overly amazing, but they’re sweet and I think children will connect to them. The idea of the book is wonderful, the only small issue I had was that some of the pages didn’t flow as well as the others and I stumbled over saying them the first time through. Overall though, this book has an amazing and absolutely beautiful message!