by Nicola Davies
illustrated by Laura Carlin
 
Shortlisted Little Rebels Award 2014

A street thief in a "mean and hard and ugly city" nearly snatches a woman's handbag...the woman tells the child she can have the bag if she makes a promise in return. It's a promise she keeps and its consequences bring about her own and her environment's transformation. A picture book which explores our relationship with nature and offers a vision of a new harmony. Little Rebels Judge, Kim Reynolds, said: 'This gorgeous picture book features a young urban thief who becomes a guerrilla gardener of mythic proportions. The poetic prose underscores the vital connection between humans and nature and encourages young readers to believe that, despite the gloomy news about climate change, they can make a difference through small actions. Laura Carlin's atmospheric illustrations movingly follow the change from grey, grim cityscapes to vibrant cities in bloom'. Ages 5-8, Paperback 38pp