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A Promise Is a Promise
For all parents who have made a promise — and every kid who has held them to it — comes a cautionary tale from a masterfully witty pair.
George is a very lucky boy. He has everything a boy could want, except for one he doesn’t have a pet. When George’s father finally sighs, "All right, you may have a pet," George goes out to look for one — but how is he to know that it can’t be too big, or too scampery, or too toothy, or too . . . unusual? A revered author and a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist keep their tongues in their cheeks as they spin a wry tale of promises and pets, befuddled parents and a triumphant child.
George is a very lucky boy. He has everything a boy could want, except for one he doesn’t have a pet. When George’s father finally sighs, "All right, you may have a pet," George goes out to look for one — but how is he to know that it can’t be too big, or too scampery, or too toothy, or too . . . unusual? A revered author and a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist keep their tongues in their cheeks as they spin a wry tale of promises and pets, befuddled parents and a triumphant child.
35 pages, Hardcover
First published April 24, 2007
7 people want to read
About the author
Florence Parry Heide
132 books40 followers"What do I like about writing for children? Everything," says Florence Parry Heide, the award-winning author of more than sixty children’s books, including the classic THE SHRINKING OF TREEHORN, illustrated by Edward Gorey. "I like the connection with children," the author says. "I like the connection with all kinds of book people. And I like the connection with my childhood self, which is the most of me. It is the most welcome and familiar of worlds. There miracles abound--indeed it is magical that something I might think of can be put into words, stories, ideas, and that those words end up in the heads of readers I will never meet."
Florence Parry Heide wrote SOME THINGS ARE SCARY, a humorous look at childhood bugaboos, more than thirty years ago. "I had finished another book and was in the mood to write something else," she says. "I decided to get some kindling from the garage, reached into the kindling box and--good grief!--grabbed something soft and mushy. I fled back to the house, scared to death." A brave return visit to the kindling box revealed the object of terror to be nothing more than a discarded wet sponge, but the thought remained: some things are scary. As she recalls, "What scared me as a child was that I’d never learn how to be a real grownup--and the fact is, I never did find out how it goes."
One thing Florence Parry Heide does have a good handle on is the concept of friendship, in all its humorous manifestations. THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, a tongue-in-cheek tale cowritten with Sylvia Van Clief in 1967, pokes at the tendency of well-meaning friends to offer advice instead of help, and presents a valuable lesson about what true friendship means. "One of my many (true) sayings is ‘A new friend is around the corner of every single day,’ " the author declares. "Also true: Friendships last. And last."
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Florence Parry Heide worked in advertising and public relations in New York City before returning to Pittsburgh during World War II. After the war, she and her husband moved to Wisconsin, where they raised five children, two of whom have cowritten critically acclaimed books with their mother. Florence Parry Heide now lives in Wisconsin.
Florence Parry Heide wrote SOME THINGS ARE SCARY, a humorous look at childhood bugaboos, more than thirty years ago. "I had finished another book and was in the mood to write something else," she says. "I decided to get some kindling from the garage, reached into the kindling box and--good grief!--grabbed something soft and mushy. I fled back to the house, scared to death." A brave return visit to the kindling box revealed the object of terror to be nothing more than a discarded wet sponge, but the thought remained: some things are scary. As she recalls, "What scared me as a child was that I’d never learn how to be a real grownup--and the fact is, I never did find out how it goes."
One thing Florence Parry Heide does have a good handle on is the concept of friendship, in all its humorous manifestations. THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, a tongue-in-cheek tale cowritten with Sylvia Van Clief in 1967, pokes at the tendency of well-meaning friends to offer advice instead of help, and presents a valuable lesson about what true friendship means. "One of my many (true) sayings is ‘A new friend is around the corner of every single day,’ " the author declares. "Also true: Friendships last. And last."
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Florence Parry Heide worked in advertising and public relations in New York City before returning to Pittsburgh during World War II. After the war, she and her husband moved to Wisconsin, where they raised five children, two of whom have cowritten critically acclaimed books with their mother. Florence Parry Heide now lives in Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 24, 2010
The only thing I have to say about this book is that parents need to think carefully about what they promise their children.
June 6, 2019
My mother and I both enjoyed this. Very funny, in Heide's slightly twisted sense. Gotta love the casual but crafted art... look at the sweater that Mom is knitting, and the argyle socks that Dad is wearing, and the sad expression on the ....
April 9, 2011
George wants a pet. His parents? Not so excited about the idea. But they allow George to search for a suitable pet. George brings home several animals that are unsuitable until he extracts a promise from his parents that if he brings home a bird, he can keep the bird. The bird he brings home has a bit of a vocabulary problem and George's father is not happy. However, "a promise is a promise" and George gets to keep the bird.
Cute, but the issue I have with this book is this: might children get the idea that if they extract a similar promise from their parents, they will have the same result? I wonder...
Cute, but the issue I have with this book is this: might children get the idea that if they extract a similar promise from their parents, they will have the same result? I wonder...
July 29, 2016
George wants a pet, but his parents have reasons against each of the pets he brings home. When he challenges them, they promise he can have a bird, but when they learn the bird talks back and uses words like "shut up" and "nincompoop" they regret the promise they made.
This book could be used in grade 1 and up to discuss persuasive writing, communication and problem solving. It could start a good conversation about what makes a good pet. It would generate good discussions and practice with the concepts of compare & contrast, opinions and valid arguments.
This book could be used in grade 1 and up to discuss persuasive writing, communication and problem solving. It could start a good conversation about what makes a good pet. It would generate good discussions and practice with the concepts of compare & contrast, opinions and valid arguments.
October 17, 2010
Age: 3-6
Media: watercolor and ink
A great familiar story when a child is getting a new pet or already has one. George finally gets his parents to agree to get a pet but he keeps bringing home animals that frighten or annoy his parents. When his parents finally promise that he may get a bird, George brings home a loud, talking parrot. The pictures work wonderfully with the humor and the movement of the plot.
Media: watercolor and ink
A great familiar story when a child is getting a new pet or already has one. George finally gets his parents to agree to get a pet but he keeps bringing home animals that frighten or annoy his parents. When his parents finally promise that he may get a bird, George brings home a loud, talking parrot. The pictures work wonderfully with the humor and the movement of the plot.
July 14, 2012
This is a guaranteed laugh out loud read aloud. I laughed out loud reading it to myself! Oh the pressure to get your child a pet. Be careful what you promise! Delightful.
October 9, 2012
The illustrations are cute, but the parents are horribly wimpy; and that makes George one bratty kid.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews