The Promise

by Jackie French Koller

Book Overview

It's Jamie and Matt's first Christmas since Ma's death, and Matt is doing his best to keep her traditions. He chides Pa into decorating the tree and reminds him of Ma's story of the animals' Christmas... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679894845
• ISBN13: 9780679894841
• Release Date: November 1999
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 71 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.7" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 10 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 8

Customer Reviews

A sad and inspiring story about the bond between humans and their pets

This story is set in what we would call pioneer days. The family lives in a log cabin, farms using horses and travels using wagons. The mother has recently died and it is Christmas Eve. The surviving family members try to be cheerful and the children do all the things that their mother would have wanted. While giving the animals their Christmas presents, one of the children is chased by a bear. Their dog Sara defends the child and is badly hurt by the bear. However, in a series of "miracles" the child manages to find their way back for help and Sara recovers. This is a book that children will find both sad and inspiring. It really is less about miracles than about the bond between humans and their beloved pets. I recommend it for children in the age range third grade.

A GREAT KIDS BOOK!

I read THE PROMISE and loved it. It's a great Christmas story for kids. I know they will love it too!

The Promise

A short and simply-written book for young readers. A young girl, her father and brother are experiencing their first Christmas without their mother/wife who has recently died. The family dog, Sara, helps the young girl cope, but the dog is attacked by a bear and it looks as though the dog is not going to make it. Yet, the young girl hopes for a Christmas miracle.

Excellent!

I read The Promise as a chapter book to my children (ages 3 to 7 yrs) at bedtime, around Christmas this year. I have never seen my children more anxious to get to bed than that week or two that it took to finsih the story. I was as interested as they were to find out how Sara, Jamie and Matt would make out on this Enchanted Christmas Eve. Great Story!