The Secret Promise

The Rescue Princesses #1

by Paula Harrison

These are no ordinary princesses--they're Rescue Princesses!

Princess Emily sometimes wishes that being a princess meant more than wearing fancy dresses and performing endless curtsies. She longs for a life-changing adventure-and she may just get one!

Someone is plotting to hurt the deer who live in beautiful Mistberg Forest. Together with some new friends, Emily will have to use her smarts, her savvy, and even some newfound ninja skills to save them.

Genres: Childrens, Chapter Books, Fantasy, Animals, Fiction, Friendship, Middle Grade

133 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily and the other three Rescue Princesses (Clarabel, Lulu, and Jaminta) meet for the first time when twenty royal families gather for the Grand Ball at Mistberg Castle. When they discover a trapped deer in the Mistberg Forest on their first night there, they work together to save the deer. Emily's maid helps them learn Ninja skills so they can try to stop the bad guys who are putting out illegal traps. I love that the book combines some fashion, animals, STEM, and ninja skills into one fun chapter book. There are four in the series with each of the princesses getting a chance to be featured. This is the perfect series to hand to readers who love the Princess In Black series. I loved the cover art on this one, but the illustrations inside were a bit of a disappointment -- taking off one star.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rescue Princesses is going to be a great new series for younger girl readers. I can see the Rainbow Magic fans eating this series up.

These rescue princesses aren't your normal girly girl princesses. Yes they love the fancy dresses, the amazing hair, and all the jewelry, but they also want to have some normal fun. Such as taking park in a boys versus girl optical course races with the princes. In this first Rescue Princesses book, the princesses are on a mission to save the deer of the kingdom from illegal trappers. By quick thinking, planing, and a little ninja training the princesses save the deer and help find out who the trappers were.

A quick, simple, adventurous read great for any younger reader.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the school book fair to read to my princess-obsessed four year old as our first "chapter book". It was quite cute. The story is the first in a series, so it obviously has background building on how these four princesses come to be friends and become "The Rescue Princesses". While the plot was predictable from an adult perspective, my daughter still loved it and so until the library has the next book available, we will apparently be rereading this one. Here's hoping it comes soon :)

[Angela Lambkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great suspense story of how they became rescue princesses.

I enjoyed this story with some suspense in it and the four princesses who became rescue princesses when they heard then seen a young deer who was crying for help ... A very clean read ebook that I feel that 7-10 olds and perhaps older who loves to read how some young princesses ants to rescue, protect and care for any animals in danger or needs even protection as this one deer and others were in mortal danger.
For all of these reasons mentioned above and plus wish to recommend this for five stars and for those 7-20 &+.
I received this by having to pay for it as it was in KU, which I wish it was as I would be glad to read and review your other books from KU, free or from our public library. But in return to hopefully encourage this to happen, here now is my honest review. Super work Paula! By Sunny.

[Salma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The secret promise is a very good book, one of my favourites. Someone traps many deers and they could get hurt badly as there are nets. She rescues some deers from traps with her new friends. She has brang prove to the king. Then in front of the ball they come and stand at the front and the king explains what she did to rescue the deers as well as her friends. She is amazingly brave and this book is very discriptive.

[Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny cute little deer

[Ro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m rereading this for probably the millionth time, i loved these books when I was younger. I have great memories of this series

[Zahra x · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today, 12 year old me woke up with the strange vision of a group of special girls who rescued animals and were connected by crystals. I thought this because of a strange dream I had last night. It was a memory of this series, over 6 years ago. I had the slightest recollection of it, and here I am 3 hours later having finally found it after tireless and relentless spamming of different keyboards into Ecosia (gotta save the planet!). If that doesn’t explain how these books help fuel a kids happy childhood, please allow me to elaborate. These books are so pure, innocent and full of mood-lifting morals that a girl who read these books over a months time in her little kid days could still recall the kindness these books taught her. These books make a statement about animal safety, friendship and all round good morals. I wholeheartedly encourage you to get your little readers to get into these books. (I’m hardcore fangirling right now, just found the books of my CHILDHOOD!!!!!)

[Ashley Covington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily is visiting Mistberg Forest, where there is so many deer and wild animals. King Gudland rules and he is a great King. Emily is so excited because she gets to go to a royal ball and bow to the twenty royal families. You can only do it when your nine. This is Emily's chance to do it. When she gets there, she makes new friends! They go on epic adventures. Emily finds a baby deer in the forest stuck in a deer trap. But it's legs are so tiny it didn't get a scratch but it's leg was hurt really bad. Emily and her new friends are determined to help the deer of Mistberg Forest and to find the person who is setting the traps! Emily and her friends make a secret promise to help animals in need!

I love that series! It's all about adventure and animals. I love animals! I want to give almost all the books I've read and including this one, 1,000,000,000,000, stars!!!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am no animal expert, but I believe deer shed their antlers yearly. Setting claw traps in the woods to get a rack of antlers just seems silly. Why not just hunt for them lying around the forest first? Chances are you wouldn't even snare a deer and even if you did, it probably wouldn't even have antlers. I feel like the author could have come up with a more plausible conflict. Don't get me started on the ninja thing... This story was like the author listened to a couple of six year old girls playing a game of pretend and decided to make a book about it.

[Heather S]

My 5 year old princess-loving daughter enjoyed listening to this. It was a good length for her interest, with illustrations at the beginning of each chapter and a few others scattered throughout.
While not very exciting for an adult, I appreciated a book that shows princesses showing leadership and a sense of adventure in addition to wearing pretty dresses and tiaras. There are also good examples of female friendship in this book, so overall it provides good role models for young girls.

[chev ۫ ꣑ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fearless and adventurous, this book is filled with girl power, and how to stand out. It was one of my favourite books!
5/5 Chev's picks
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[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this! Obviously some negatives - full of cliches, but I like the overall message. The girls are super confident, which is awesome, but also a little hesitant at times and need to cheer each other on, very realistic. The parents and the princes are so flat, but hopefully they improve as the books progress. I like that the parents didn't doubt their daughters, especially one part where the mom says of course the daughter can do the ropes course, just not at that moment. I'll read a few more to confirm that they stay the same or better, not worse :)

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am rating this book 5 Stars because it brought so much pleasure to my 7 year old daughter. She wouldn't stop talking about it and insisted that I read it. The Secret Promise was a cute story for a princess and animal loving daughter. Throw in some ninja moves and you have quite a tale. She's already moved on to other books in the series and I'm sure I will be reading more of them as well!

[Zidana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by my 7 year old:
A group of princesses work together to rescue animals. A Duke wanted to take all antlers from the deer so the princesses stopped him and got all the traps. I really love animals I and I loved that the princesses cared so much to save them. You should read this story if you like animals and stories about strong female characters.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun premise - four princesses, all of them strong and kind, but with different personalities/skills come together to rescue animals, with the help of ninja skill tutelage from one of the girls’ maids. Violet enjoyed me reading this first one to her and we’ll look for others in the series.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appropriate for: age 7+

My 5 year old daughter really enjoyed this book. It was a bit scary for her, which is why I recommend it for 7+. I liked it, it had a good message of friendship and helping animals, I just wish there were more pictures.

[Alesa Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story above 4 princesses who work together to save the forest deer from harm. Works well for an advanced 1st grader, but kids through 3rd grade would enjoy this story.

Only concern is that the princesses sneak out in the middle of the night without parent’s knowledge.

[XIS Grade 3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saoirse: I liked it because they saved a baby deer, and found the people that made the trap. And will promise to save any animals in danger. And made new friends.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked how they never gave up and they helped each other.

[Holly Koster · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for kids who care about animals! Review by 9 year old Sami

[Danielle Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little book!

[Kelly Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book

[Carina Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think five stars because the princesses worked together and rescued the deer. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💗🖤🤍

[Robyn Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it out loud to my daughter and we both enjoyed it.

[Lyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is literally my childhood!

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars from my 8 year old! One of the first chapter books she completed on her own! 👏🙏

[MisterT · Rating 1 out of 5]

Feels like a little girls play session, not that there is anything wrong with that but I would opt to find other books for my daughter to read that have more substance.

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

its a fun book series, for a 10 year old me it was great

[Pia]

Great book! Recommend for 7-11 yrs :) (but who says you can't be older ;))