BOOK - THISBE'S PROMISE BY LAURIAN SCOTT

Thisbe's Promise is a picture book unlike any other. It is a "Show and Tell" book of the deep bond between parent and child. The words dance across the ethereal images and children love the surprise pull-down page at the end. 

Summary: Little Thisbe (thiz’be) adores animals of all kinds. Going to the zoo is one of her favorite pastimes, but Thisbe has been very sick for a long time.  Eventually, she is confined to her bed, unable to take trips to see her animal friends – unable to take trips anywhere, for that matter. That is, until Thisbe’s mother shows her the magical view outside her bedroom window, opening up the walls that seem to confine her. Soft, imaginative illustrations take the reader soaring across hills, valleys, and oceans, capturing the power of a mother’s love and a mother’s desire to keep every promise.

While her darling two-year-old daughter, Thisbe, was very sick with the neuromuscular disease, BVVL, Laurian wrote the beautiful children's book, Thisbe's Promise. This was one of Gwendolyn's favorite books and definitely one of mine. Thisbe's Promise speaks to me about the intensity of parents love for their child and I see the reflection of my bond with Gwendolyn in its pages. I came across Thisbe's Promise shortly after Gwendolyn's SMA diagnosis. At the time I was feeling uncertain and nervous and, although I can't fully explain why, Thisbe's Promise gave me strength. Reading Thisbe's Promise to Gwendolyn made me confident that Bill and I understand our daughter better than anyone else, better than any doctor or specialist, and that when I am unsure, all I have to do is look toward Gwendolyn and she will tell me what I need to know. This book has changed meanings for me as time has gone on. I later saw the desire to always fight for my child, the endless possibilities of bringing fun experiences to Gwendolyn, the reminder that it is the simple gestures that bring the most joy to all children, the encouragement to continue to move forward... and the certainty that I will always be connected to my sweet daughter -- even after she is no longer in my arms.

It is remarkable to see the variance in purpose that this book has offered to so many people of all walks of life, old and young, healthy and sick. People buy Thisbe's Promise as gifts for newborns, christenings, Mother's Day, birthdays, teachers, school and public libraries, children with terminal diseases or disabilities, as well as for themselves - making it a cherished part of their own child's story time. While this story is beautiful for anyone, it is especially gentle in framing an opportunity to discuss children's illness and death. And it has been a wonderful source for grieving siblings.

Read an excerpt from Thisbe's Promise below:

   Then, just on the horizon,
   Thisbe's mother pointed to a starfish
    on the seashore, clinging tightly
                                                    to a rock.

                  "Do you see that starfish?"
                                                 said Thisbe's mother.

                                             "That starfish was born with
                                                                         powerful
                                                                                   little
                                                                                      suckers.

Because it was promised the tide."

As a "boutique book," Thisbe's Promise is only available in select independent bookstores. We are so proud to offer it here. And because of Laurian Scott's generosity, 100% of the sale of Thisbe's Promise on our website will fund Gwendolyn's Legacy Project.