Pinkie Promises

by Elizabeth Warren, Charlene Chua (Illustrator)

Overview

Polly knows she's strong and capable. But whenever she offers to help her uncle or brother or neighbor, they tell her: "That's not what girls do."

Then one day, Polly goes to a rally to meet a woman who's running for president, and they make a pinkie promise to remember all the things that girls do. Polly carries that promise with her at school, onto the soccer field, and even into an election for Class President! This inspiring story will encourage young readers to dream big.

Godwin Books

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250801029
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	10/12/2021
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,149,451
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	AD600L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth Warren has served as the United States Senator of Massachusetts since 2013. She is a former law professor and one of the nation's leading progressive voices. Elizabeth is the author of numerous books, including This Fight Is Our Fight, and she lives with her husband and their golden retriever in Cambridge, MA.

Charlene Chua is an award-winning illustrator. Her books include Hug? and the illustrations for Love, Violet. When they are not making art, they enjoy playing video games with their husband, reading, and cuddling their cats.

Editorial Reviews

10/18/2021

Polly, a bespectacled child with dark brown pigtails and warm brown skin, is “tired of hearing what girls can’t do.” Her life is full of males telling her that her gender precludes her from certain activities—fixing the sink’s plumbing with her light-skinned uncle Ed; building a drawbridge for a school project, under the judgmental eyes of her brother Jack; even washing the family’s car, which inexplicably earns admonishment from neighbor Mr. Lee. When her mother takes her to a rally, and the duo meets white presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, soon Polly realizes that girls can do anything. After the two pinkie promise to remember this sentiment, Polly approaches activities with a new attitude. Employing the refrain “that’s what girls do,” Warren traces Polly’s journey toward self-assertion and confidence; Chua’s sunny digital art, depicting a cartoon-style cast of varying abilities, hairstyles, religions, and skin tones, augments this simple encouragement for girls to dream big. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"An inspirational story." —People Magazine

"Inspiring and child friendly." —Kirkus Reviews

"{A] rousing story . . . Especially valuable is the emphasis on day-to-day actions in stepping up and delivering on your promises." —Booklist

From the Publisher

2021-08-11
Lately, everyone seems intent on telling Polly what girls can’t do.

Whether it’s fixing a leak, building a model drawbridge, or washing a car, it seems like the world thinks that girls aren’t able to do anything. Polly is discouraged until she goes to a political rally with her mother. There, the two meet a White woman named Elizabeth (recognizably author Warren in Chua’s friendly illustrations) who’s running for president. She tells Polly that she is running because that’s what girls do: They lead. Polly and Elizabeth make a pinky promise to remember this truth. Polly decides that being a girl can’t prevent her from doing whatever she wants. Even though she’s a bit intimidated at attending a brand-new school, Polly decides to be brave—because that’s what girls do, and she makes a pinkie promise with her mom. At soccer, she’s under pressure to score the winning goal. She makes a pinkie promise with her coach to do her best, because that’s what girls do. And so on. By the end of the book, Polly ignores what she’s been told that girls can’t do and totally focuses on what they can do: absolutely anything they want. In the illustrations, Polly and her family have dark skin and straight, dark hair. The narrative is inspiring and child friendly, although the constant return to making pinkie promises feels like a distraction from the central message. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Inspiring, if all these pinkie promises don’t get in the way. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews