I Promise: A Story About Responsibility, School Success, and Community

I Promise: A Story About Responsibility, School Success, and Community

An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller! An Instant Indie Bestseller!  * An Amazon Best Book of the Year * A B&N Best Book of the Year* A great gift for tiny go-getters and big dreamers, including for back to school! NBA champion and superstar LeBron James pens a slam-dunk picture book inspired by his foundation’s I PROMISE program that motivates children everywhere to always #StriveForGreatness. Just a kid from Akron, Ohio, who is dedicated to uplifting youth everywhere, LeBron James knows the key to a better future is to excel in school, do your best, and keep your family close. I Promise is a lively and inspiring picture book that reminds us that tomorrow’s success starts with the promises we make to ourselves and our community today. Featuring James’s upbeat, rhyming text and vibrant illustrations perfectly crafted for a diverse audience by #1  New York Times bestselling and Geisel Honor winning artist Nina Mata, this book has the power to inspire all children and families to be their best. Perfect for shared reading in and out of the classroom, I Promise is also a great gift for graduation, birthdays, and other occasions. Plus check out the audiobook, read by LeBron James's mother and I Promise School supporter Gloria James! Gr 1-4-I Promise School is a public elementary school in Akron that is supported by the LeBron James Family Foundation. In this debut picture book, readers learn of the vows of these young students to improve their lives and achieve their goals. With rhyming text, the narrative follows a group of students of varied races throughout their day: "I promise to be open and try new things and enjoy the happy that change can bring." In this school, children help one another when they fall down on the playground, support studying hard, and stand up for what is right. Of course, there are a few basketball idioms thrown in for good measure such as; "I promise to run full court," and "I promise to throw the alley-oop and uplift others on the spot." The conclusion of the book has a note from James and a set of promises for readers. Colorful, digital illustrations are cheerful and complement the text nicely. VERDICT An optional purchase, this is nevertheless an inspiring look at what one celebrity is doing to better the world.-Amy Nolan, St. Joseph P.L., MIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "The NBA star offers a poem that encourages curiosity, integrity, compassion, courage, and self-forgiveness. Sincere and wholehearted." - Kirkus Reviews "This is a message book your kids will love." - NPR.org "Perfect for the classroom and at home, this timeless, important message is great for teaching life lessons, graduations, birthdays and many other occasions." - barnesandnoble.com "An inspiring look at what one celebrity is doing to better the world." - School Library Journal [T]his picture book delivers an uplifting message to children, emphasizing accountability and persistence....The illustrations infuse the book with heart, reflecting a contemporary neighborhood that effectively represents the racial makeup of many U.S. cities. - Publishers Weekly LeBron James is widely considered to be the best basketball player in the world and one of the greatest players of all time. James has won four NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals, and four league MVP titles. James grew up in Akron, Ohio, where he continues to create generational change through his LeBron James Family Foundation that focuses its efforts on helping youth achieve a better future through education. In 2018, his foundation opened the I PROMISE School, designed to help underprivileged students and their entire families succeed in school and beyond.  Niña Mata  is a children's bookmaker and  New York Times  bestselling illustrator. Her books include  She’s Got This ;  I Absolutely, Positively Love My Spots ; I   Promise  and I Am More Than (both by LeBron James); and the Ty’s Travels series, including the Geisel Honor Book  Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!   New is her authorial picture book debut. Visit her at ninamata.com.