"While the topic of moving is covered in a multitude of picture books, this one looks at it from a difficult perspective that most authors choose to avoid or gloss over." -- School Library Journal (starred review)
Almost everything Callie's family owns is in their front yard -- their furniture, their potted flowers, even Callie's bike. They can't stay in this house and are moving to a smaller apartment where most of their things won't fit, so today they are having a yard sale. With sensitivity and grace, Eve Bunting and Lauren Castillo portray an event at once familiar and difficult, making clear that a home isn't about what you have, but whom you hold close.
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Original Binding: Trade Paperback
Pages: 32 pages
ISBN-10: 0763693057
Item Weight: 0.3 lbs
Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 10.3 inches
While the topic is an extremely tough one, Bunting tackles it with her usual grace and poise. The clear and concise writing is a wonderful choice for the subject matter. ... A vital purchase for collections everywhere. --School Library Journal (starred review)
Callie's first-person observations reveal her distress, while poignant watercolor-and-ink illustrations reinforce her emotions through deft use of white space, color washes and strong outlines that capture postures and facial expressions. Images of forlorn Callie surrounded by a yard full of possessions, sad Callie hugging Sara, distraught Callie grabbing her bike and Callie's parents comforting her visually tug the heart. A simple, moving tale of a family in transition. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Castillo's (Nana in the City) gentle scenes soften the family's sadness.... Bunting captures the way loss can take a family's possessions while leaving their love for each other intact. --Publishers Weekly
...a quietly domestic, visually accessible style that offers a feeling of stability, which helps cushion the sadder implications of the story. It's useful to have a story where moving may be no adventure for anybody in the family, but where things will still be okay. --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
The story's focus on having to move due to reduced circumstances is a welcome addition to books about contemporary problems. --Booklist
Castillo's warm and restrained ink and watercolor illustrations capture the emotions without overwhelming the reader. A lovely and honest story about a hard topic. --Kirkus Reviews
This simple yet powerful picture book will resonate with any reader who has experienced loss and engender empathy among students who may be in a position to help those who have. --School library Connection
A straightforward, heartfelt story. --Horn Book
A quietly wrenching yet ultimately comforting story of a family adjusting to straitened circumstances. --The Wall Street Journal
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