Sold to the Highest Bidder

KIRKUS REVIEW: ". . . The story's theme--about the friendship a child can form with an animal even if that animal isn't his--will be easy for young readers to identify with. Westover is surprisingly adept at capturing a young boy's point of view, and her glossary and discussion topics make this book suitable for reading groups or classrooms. . . .There's a lot to discuss here, and some moments that adults will appreciate as well. . . . This short chapter book is full of charming black-and-white illustrations. . . ." What happens when a boy is threatened with the loss of what he loves most? Eleven-year-old Jed with the help of his eight-year-old friend, Tommy, pits his ingenuity against the hard realities of the adult world. Jed has worked a year to buy Dusty, a pony he’s helped nurse back to health. Dusty’s owner plans to sell Dusty for profit at the county fair auction. Against the odds, Jed goes to the auction where the ante is upped by a pony ring buyer. Tommy adds his allowance savings to Jed’s work wages, but Jed is still outbid and crumples in despair. From the back the boys hear a new voice. That jolts Jed to an idea that changes the outcome of the auction. From hot August haying to anguished reflection in Jed’s “thinking tree” and fast-paced, auction tension, this is a story to read aloud and savor.