THE AUCTION
by Jan Andrews & illustrated by Karen Reczuch
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)