My promise

PreS-Gr 2--A tender promise by an adult to a child is presented in this title by psychologist Roberts. The brief text provides assurance that no matter what feelings the child has, the adult will be there to help and guide them. According to the back cover, each stanza is based on an element from the author's "7-Point Parental Compass." Like Margaret Wise Brown's The Runaway Bunny, the general idea is positive unconditional reassurance: "If you feel alone, I will gather others around you. If you want change, I will understand, and I will help you." There are few children of any age who do not need to hear these nonjudgmental mantralike statements from the adults in their lives. The book is illustrated with soft paintings in warm colors; a parent figure is white; another adult and the child are brown; no genders are mentioned. All illustrations save one show the adults together with the child, further emphasizing the bond among them all. VERDICT Gentle and quietly reassuring, this is recommended for board book collections aimed at new parents or caregivers.--Heather Webb