Book review: Yard Sale, by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Bunting, Eve. Yard Sale. Illustrated by Lauren Castillo. Candlewick Press, 2015. $6.99. ISBN 9780763693053. Unpaged. Ages 3-12. P9 Q 9.

This is a very touching story of a family holding a yard sale because they are moving to a smaller apartment.  Told from the child’s perspective of how they might feel having a yard sale of their things. It includes the struggle of a changing friendship with the neighbors. It conveys the struggle of letting go of a bike and the memories of the marks on a headboard of a bed.  Then, as a child might feel, they would also be for sale, the book concluded with a sincere moment of realization.

Verdict: This is a very emotional and touching story as young and adult alike can relate to moving and having to sell beloved things. It is a great read aloud for all aged children helping them cope with giving up their things, moving and leaving friends, and/or teaching about empathy.  

June 2017 review by Deborah Gwynn.

[Editor’s note: Told from the point of view of a young girl whose possessions are among the many that her family is selling, Bunting’s story of a family losing their house and needing to make enough money to move to a small apartment imparts grief, fear and sadness, as well as the love that holds the family together.  While not a comfortable story, the warm, realistic illustrations by Lauren Castillo humanize the family’s plight.]

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