Sold on a Monday: A True Story of Heartbreak and Resilience

There were pages that I trudged through mixed in with page turners until I got further into the story. At one point, the paced picked up, and I couldn't put the book down until I found out more. That carried me right in to shore. In a couple of spots, my chest tightened, and tears sprung to my eyes. I still feel a little emotional thinking back over the words.

This wasn’t what I originally expected it to be about but it ended up being exactly what I needed and more. The writer was so compelling and great on character development and description. Love this book!

am drawn to books set in the Great Depression, my mother and father told me about their experiences which were very different. My mother grew up on a farm and had plenty to eat but could not buy anything. My father grew up in a small town and his father deserted his family of four, his mother had to send the children to live with different relatives for survival. Ellis Reed, a society page reporter, who wants the opportunity to\o report real news, goes into the county with his camera seeking solace in nature, He stumbles up a pair of young boys beside a sign, children for sale! He thought about the future of the boys if they were sold and then thought what would the brother died young, be like had he survived. He took a picture of the boys and the sign without even thinking about it. The picture was developed by Lillian Palmer, who also worked for the paper but was never given a chance to write because she was a woman. The picture gets noticed and a story behind it is requested and sets off an explosion of interest across the country. I loved learning more details about the Great Depression and I was immediately drawn into the story which turned into a mystery, and two people drawn together to find some lost children and the relationship that evolves between the two. I loved this book, it was the first one that I have read by Kristina McMorris and now I want to read all of her books!

The Great Depression was a terrible time for many families, and it provides the setting for this story. It begins when a young newspaper reporter takes a heart wrenching photo of two young children on a porch with a sign that reads “2 children for sale”. The photo was based on a true photo of the time. In the book, the photo was also true but when it was destroyed, the ambitious journalist stages a reenactment with different children and that launches the trouble that drives the plot and his career. The reader is immersed in the depression. It is interesting. The two main characters are likable, but somehow, I never felt connected to them. This book is filled with serious issues, but none of them are treated seriously. The result is a superficial plot driven story about a person trying to fix a wrong that he created. It could easily be a one-hour television show that wraps everything up before the credits. It would have been a better novel if it were about the true photo and not the staged one. But it is the author’s prerogative to tell their story, not mine.

I read this book as part of my library’s book club. This book is a sad tale of a reporter wanting to create a big story and life, only to later realize the ramifications of bending the truth.

Fast moving easy read. Worth the read

Before I begin the actual review, I have to say this story broke my heart in so many ways. It all began with a photojournalist seeing a sign reading “children for sale” on his way back to the Philadelphia Examiner, where he worked as a society reporter. Although uneasy, he continued on his journey. However the sign stayed in his thoughts. With the Great Depression barely over, he could not imagine what that family was going through. Although the story he had written about the sign and the children had given him a huge break in his career, he knew it was wrong. He knew he had to go back. What he found when he returned shocked and horrified him. He made a split second decision which changed his life forever. Placing his career at risk, he took bold steps to correct his mistake, along with Lily, secretary to his boss. She refused to allow Ellis to give up. Lily had her own secret for wanting to help him. About parentsʼ love for their children and the way they will do anything, even putting their own lives in jeopardy, is a major theme of the book. At the soul of the story is the love of a mother for her children. More than one mother in this case. And a father, whose own grief almost kept him from having any kind of life. Although Ellis was (mostly) blameless as the result of his story, his efforts to rectify his error came to the point where I truly feared for Ellis's life. The characters all seemed very real, even those who barely had a few brief passages. I did not detect a single doubt about any of the motivations of any of them. (Even the Model T Ellis drove was a cantankerous character.) The journey taken by the book gave me great joy and great sadness. There are thrills here you will never see coming. It gives me happiness to highly recommend this book. All through those sad times there are also happy times that creep in, sometimes making the reader finding unexpected tears. Cherish both as they will make your life much richer for having read this book, rightfully on best seller lists (and a movie). I am looking forward to finding the rest of this author's books and reading them as quickly as I read this one.

I thought it was really good and everything of what I envisioned as well as a lot of what I didn't envision. A sign of 2 children for sale taken by Ellis, a journalist/photographer for his own personal materials with pictures of 2 boys. Lily an administrative assistant for the Chief of the newspaper enters the darkroom and sees Ellis' s photos. She takes them and leaves them on the Chief's desk which piques the Chief's interest for a story. Ellis travels back to the family to do the follow-up story, but the family is no longer there, little girl Ruby next doors tells Ellis they left. Desperate for a story, Ellis decides to take the sign and take photos of Ruby and her little brother Calvin. Of course the story tugs on your heartstrings and the country is questioning the mom's decision and sending gifts, cash and toys, which Ellis drops off at night due to his shame. Ellis's conscious is nagging him so he goes to revisit the family and no one is there, no kids or mom. What he finds out is that a banker bought the kids and the mother was sick. What takes place between Ellis and Lily to make it right was enlightening on the cruelty done to kids from adults. Lily's back story and Ellis's backstory was interesting.

I really enjoyed this book. Would recommend

Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Sold On A Monday exceeded my expectations and I enjoyed it so thoroughly I could not put it down! I loved the character’s connectivity through their kindness and concern for the children’s well being. The twists & turns in the story brought a reality to a troubled time in America’s history. The desperation of people to have to resort to selling their children was perfectly described through the eyes of all the characters including their mother who never gave up hope. And the fact that it was based in a true story made it very authentic and believable. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to all readers. Ten out of ten!

A very different read, but interesting and eventually gripping

This is a very good read. The storyline is solid with enough intrigue and interesting characters to keep a reader interested. It speaks to hard times during the depression and what people did to survive.