Yard Sale

Reviewed by: Patricia Temple - Long Island Community Library, Long Island, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 11, 2015

Review

Yard Sale is a melancholy story about a family moving from a comfortable neighborhood house to a small city apartment. The child, Callie, is understandably bothered by the yard sale that has strangers examining and driving off with most of their possessions. This talented author/ illustrator team have collaborated to tackle the hard topic of a family dealing with a financial downturn and a change in living circumstances. The text is ambiguous about the reason for the family's move but it clearly portrays the child's emotions and the parent's supportive response. The warm, muted illustrations capture the sad tone but also the strong bond of the family. The book leaves the reader with the message that it is the people in the family and their bond that matter, not the things they had to get rid of. An admirable sentiment and a useful book. The book is targeted for readers 3-7 yrs old, but could be useful for an older audience or as a writing prompt. I'm recommending this one for Cream of the Crop.

Overall Book Score: excellent