I Promise I'll Find You

by Heather Patricia Ward, Sheila McGraw (Illustrator )

A beloved classic continues to reassure children. I Promise I'll Find You is a moving story that parents will love reading to and sharing with their children again and again. The fear of being separated from loved ones is a universal emotion. Consider a child who feels lost -- wandering away from home, becoming separated in a crowd, or feeling frightened in a new and strange place? I Promise I'll Find You is a perennial favorite of parents and children alike; it's like a comforting hug, a warm lap, a reassuring kiss, and the enveloping arms of a parent who pledges, no matter what "I promise I'll find you." In eleven warm and simple verses, Heather Patricia Ward delivers a timeless message of reassurance. Sheila McGraw's imaginative illustrations show a devoted mother and an amusing dog as they search the world over for a lost at sea, in the city, over mountains, and even in outer space. Together, parents and children will enjoy the gentle language and the calm, reassuring pictures of this thoughtful and important book.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family

26 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Jackie :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My boys' other favorite book....read every night at bedtime! Still can't part with it....it'll be given to them to read to their kids! :)

[Stephanie Delvecchio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:Remember what it felt like to be lost, as a child? The brief moment of helpless terror, experienced at the grocery store, or felt when you wandered away from home, or even momentarily let go of a parent's hand in a crowd, is a universal experience of childhood. Though it may seem a minor inconvenience once we're safely grown into adulthood, the possibility of being lost, away from family and friends, never to return again is frighteningly real to children. In just eleven simple verses, Heather Patricia Ward offers gentle reassurance that no matter the obstacles, parents will search for, and find, their lost child. I Promise I'll Find You deftly manages to take a very scary topic, and make it one in which adults can understand the helplessness a child may feel. In the story children will find the comfort they need to keep a difficult topic in perspective. The illustrations by Sheila McGraw, best known for her illustrations of the best-selling children's book, Love You Forever, are colorful, but calm, and offer a bit of humor to a serious subject. By sea, by air, by train, by horseback and by several other kid-friendly methods of transportation, a devoted mother and a little dog search high and low for a lost child. The story is warmly resolved with all parties reunited. "And if I had no other way, I'd walk or crawl or run. I'd search the very ends of the earth, For you my precious one. So remember this my darling, for it is very true. If ever you're apart from me, I'll search till I find you." Thank you Amazon!

Themes: love, lost children, rhyming

Curricular uses: independent reading (Early readers)

[Jacque · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book and read it about a million times when i was little and it would make me cry sometimes. It is i think the BEST children's book i have ever read. I remember my mother and grandmother reading it to me. The story is sweet, the rhyming is cute, the message is one sure to touch you heart.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read by Mama

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows a mother telling her child all of the different ways she would search for them if they were ever apart. She searches by boat, airplane, train, horse, car, rocketship, and so many more ways. But, the moral is that no matter how the mother has to search, she will find a way for them to be together again.

I felt this story was a really sweet way for the author to convey how much a mother cares about her child, and how important it is to her that they are together. However, after reading the dedication in the beginning of the book, "to all of the missing children of the world," I couldn't help but feel a bit of heartache as I read the rest of the book. It's often really difficult to find an appropriate and sensitive way to address a subject like missing children in a classroom, but books can be an appropriate and affective way to introduce something like that. While really young children may not be able to understand the message of the book yet, I feel that this might be a good way to approach a difficult subject like missing children. Aside from the message of the book, I felt that the illustrations were very beautiful and very fun. In each of the pictures of the mother searching, you can find the child somewhere small and very far in the background. I felt this was a great way to tie the illustrations to the story, as well as a fun addition to the book. Overall, I would recommend this book to teachers in parents but would remind them to bear in mind that it is based on a subject that tends to tug at the heartstrings.

[Terea W · Rating 5 out of 5]

• I Promise I’ll Find You is a children’s literature fiction book for children ages 4-7 years. I Promise I’ll Find You is about a parent who uses any possible transportation to look for their child. To prove how a parent’s love will no matter what find their child in any way. I gave this book a 5-star because I personally enjoyed seeing how the parent used many transportations to find their child. I will read this to my children to show the love I’ll have for them and to prove that I will find them if there is ever a circumstance where they are lost. The illustrations in this book was very effective due to the fact it showed the many transportations the parent used to find their child. Rowing a boat, riding a horse, driving a race car, shooting through space in a rocket the many transportations were depicting through the illustrations and I believe that was very appealing to me while reading. I believe this book shows children the importance of safety and the love of one’s parents or guardians and I think young readers should either read or be read this book by a parent or guardian.

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Mommy's review from 7/28/10)

This is probably my all-time favorite childrens book. I love rhyming books and I love them with a theme like this one. Ward did a fantastic job and one day I hope Julia will be reading this to her babies - it's that cute.
If I had a little rowboat,
I'd row across the sea,
I'd row, row, row,
And I'd bring you back to me.

This means something special to us because I've always told Julia that nothing will ever take her away from me. That no matter where she ever is I will always be there with her or be on my way. She has a special little song called the "wherever you are" song that she still sings to us ("us" being myself and my parents) when we leave sometimes.
If I had a little submarine,
I'd go beneath the sea,
I'd scout around to find you,
And hold you next to me.

This is the first book I recommend to parents when I'm asked. I'm so, so happy I found this when Julia was still very young. I liked reading it to her when she was a little baby and I love that she's growing up with it.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book means so much to me. In February of '95, I turned 7 years old, and my mother gave me this book as a gift. She read it to me at bedtime more times than I can remember. Hearing her voice reassured me that, regardless of circumstances, my mother would always find me.
I hadn't thought of the book in years, until last Friday. One of the verses just popped into my head, out of no where, and I smiled to myself, and thought of those special bedtimes with Mom.
A mere four days later, I lost my mother very suddenly. It's been less than 72 hours, and all I can think about is this book. I can hear her voice reading to me, "If I had a little row boat...", and it breaks my heart, and fills me with happiness, all at once.

I absolutely recommend this book to any mother.

[Kelly Triplett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is Awesome; bright colors with interesting illustrations. It is an excellent choice for a nice read but also can be used to solidify a discussion about families or to soothe the a child's worries as this story explains the lengths to which adults will go find find or help children.

[Wendy Langdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is precious. I loved the rhymes, the illustrations, and the overall reassuring theme. The title says what the book conveys - no matter how far away a child is, a loving parent will keep searching until that beloved child is found.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book! My grandson loved this book, especially the page with the saguaro cactus. We would touch or sit on it and say, "Ooooow!" and he would laugh like crazy! Great illustrations and beautiful writing! I highly recommend it.

[Rose]

E War

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chokes me up every time, but a great read-aloud to parents who are paranoid that their kid will get lost or kidnapped someday.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids had fun finding the child on each page. I love the pictures.

[Cara Coffelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely book to treasure with your children/grandchildren. A way to reassure the child that if they get lost, you will always find them

[Miranda Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes

[Tigger · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book when i was little my mom used to read it to me till i fell asleep!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story and illustrations!