Yard Sale

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