The Auction

Andrews, Jan

ISBN 10: 0027055353 ISBN 13: 9780027055351

Publisher: Atheneum, 1991

Synopsis

Todd and his grandfather prepare for the sale of the farm and its contents by telling stories about life there and making scarecrows

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- With the imminent sale of his farm, an elderly man recounts the treasured stories of his life there with a young grandson. The child knows them all by heart, but because he urges grandfather to repeat them all deep into the night, both are reassured that the story-making and telling will continue in other places and other times. In fact, spurred on by memories of grandmother's silly scarecrows, they create a new amusing farm story: they fashion scarecrows of their own and place them on the machinery set out for the next day's auction. Confronted by change, the two move gracefully and thoughtfully into a new situation. Reczuch's photorealistic watercolors both reinforce the story line and offer a strength of their own as the tale progresses. The final portrait of a sleeping child and thoughtful grandfather is one that will not be easily forgotten. --Lee Bock, Brown County Public Libraries, Green Bay, WI
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews:

From two Canadians, a bittersweet goodbye to a family farm. After Gran's death, Todd is staying with Gramps the night before the auction to sell his possessions. The two share some weeping, some happy reminiscing, and a few of Gran's pickles; then they decide to make scarecrows, as Gran did, to dress up the auction. A rueful but well-told variant on an increasingly familiar theme. In her picture book debut, Reczuch is overgeometrical in many of her details, and her figures are almost wooden; still, the story's authentic human warmth glows from her illustrations. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Atheneum
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0027055353
• ISBN 13: 9780027055351
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Reczuch Karen