Synopses & Reviews
A touching story about friendship and the preservation of memory.
"I bet it was sad for Miss Opal to watch her belongings leaving in the hands of neighbors and strangers, but I knew the auction was Miss Opal's own idea.
A rusty blue scooter that pulls to the right; a box of old cookie tins; a hand-cranked ice-cream churn ... At Miss Opal's auction, a young child sadly watches as her neighbor's belongings are sold off -- one by one-- and taken away in the hands of strangers."
This tender story explores a special relationship between a little girl and an older woman, and the different feelings associated with having to say good-bye. In thoughtful words and beautiful oil paintings, Miss Opal's Auction celebrates friendship and the passing of memories from one generation to the next.
About the Author
Susan Vizurraga once attended an auction at which an older woman was selling off her things before moving to a retirement home. She remembers that it seemed like a happy time, a change in life's stages rather than an ending. Susan is the author of
Our Old House, which was named a Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. She lives in Commerce, Georgia, with her family.
Mark Graham is the illustrator of many children's books, including The Dream Jar and Baby Talk. He is currently part of a select group of American artists whose work is exhibited in the new museum of modern art in Rome. Mark lives on a hilltop on Long Island with his family and many animal friends.