THE PROMISE

Two children find enduring friendship in a small village in Morocco.

Hassan, who is Muslim, attends school in the mosque, while Jacob, who is Jewish and whose family moved here from Spain years ago, learns from the rabbi in the synagogue. The boys love to spend time in Jacob’s family’s garden, splashing in the pool and dashing among the lush plants, and the two families share meals there each week. “A garden is a prayer,” Hassan’s father often says, to which Jacob’s father adds, “A garden is also a promise.” Hassan and Jacob know that promises must be kept and vow to care for the garden together. They paint the benches and nurture the plants, feeling pride and thanking Allah and HaShem. Then world events interfere. Danger to the Jews is looming (the historical note has context about World War II), and Jacob’s family must leave. With the saddest of goodbyes, Hassan vows that he will keep his promise to care for the garden. The friends finally meet again decades later in the still beautiful garden. The tale is told simply and gently, with deep understanding of the characters’ cultural backgrounds and the friendship that sustains them. Detailed, glowing, emotionally charged illustrations match the text and bring to life the Moroccan setting. The backmatter notes that the tale is based on a real event that had a less satisfying conclusion than the authors have chosen to provide young readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Tender and heart-rending.