A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A USA TODAY BESTSELLER A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER A NATIONAL INDIEBOUND BESTSELLER An unforgettable novel by Kristina McMorris, inspired by a stunning piece of history. 2 CHILDREN FOR SALEThe sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs and broken dreams. It could have been written by … era of breadlines, bank runs and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices.
For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined.
For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined.
Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home.
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This is a good story. Although the pace is slow and there’s never really any high-paced action, I enjoyed this book from a historical aspect. I learned more about a time period that I’m only vaguely familiar with. I was stunned to learn that the title actually told of things that happened during the Great Depression. I cannot imagine, as a parent, being faced with such a choice.
I recommend this book for lovers of history (without a ton of excitement). I found this book to be informative.
Great book! Read it in 1930’s black and white – like a movie of the times!
Started out a bit slow, but became a favorite!
This book kept me reading until the very last word. Ellis takes a picture of a sign that says Two Children for Sale. That picture needs retaken and that’s where everything starts going wrong. Lilian also works at the newspaper office and wants to help Ellis. While working together Ellis will learn about the secret Lilian keeps.
The Great Depression was a tumultuous time in our nation’s history. Out of desperation, people did things that, under different circumstances, they would never do. In 1931, on a hot summer day in Pennsylvania, a newspaper reporter takes an innocent picture that sparks a chain of events that is a complete game changer.
Children for sale. It’s a concept that is unfathomable to many of us, but no one really understands unless you’re put in a dire situation. It is the choice that one mother makes for her two beautiful children, for her own personal reasons, despite many judging her. While this family deals with the effects of that choice Ellis, the reporter responsible for the photo, becomes famous overnight, and completely changes his life.
The fact that Ellis’s success came at the expense of this family being torn apart, and two children being sold, gnaws at Ellis until he cannot take it anymore. Ellis, and his friend and fellow co-worker Lily, vow to do everything they can to make sure the children are safe in their new home. It is this choice that begins an investigation that leads both Ellis and Lily down a dark and unexpected path.
Though Sold on a Monday took a different turn than what I had originally thought, I really enjoyed all the twists and surprises. The suspense made me unable to turn the pages fast enough, and the ending did not disappoint. Well written, Kristina McMorris knows how to draw her reader in and not let go until the very end. A few instances of foul language is my only complaint about the book, but that’s the newspaper biz, so I had to brush it off despite not liking that component.
You really feel like you’re there for every moment, giving you a taste of some of the effects of the Great Depression. 2 children for sale. Sad indeed.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Landmark Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
Loved this story. Well written. It portrayed a part of the depression I’d not known much about and from a different perspective. Great read.
very interesting
Great book! Selected as a read for my book club.
Interesting and different storyline.
Couldn’t put it down.
Another great read by Kristina McMorris!
This book was a quick read and it had a great message
Interesting and riveting.
I found this book which finds a young, eager reporter, Ellis Reed, trying to get a foothold in becoming a journalist at a city newspaper. Back in the day, one began this job reporting on garden clubs, social events, etc. Very boring and offering little attention by editors looking for good hardworking reporters who could present a story and develop it. During these first experiences, Ellis could barely afford rent in a place that was one up from being a “flop house”.
His Sunday hobby of driving his battered old car out into the countryside with his box camera at the ready to take photographs led to his big break. On such an outing Ellis saw a young boy playing with a stick in front of a tumble down house. In the front yard was a sign which read: CHILDREN FOR SALE.
What happens next not only eventually won Ellis a place as a journalist with a major New York newspaper but along the way, he found the only way to report was to have all the facts as they are, not as one wishes them to be.
In short, he learned the only way to do things is the right way. No short cuts, all integrity.
A very fine tale and one worth reading and learning what real reporting was like back in the day.
Story almost broke my heart.
Human trafficking is a big concern and relevant current topic. This is the 1930s and children are being sold by parents because of the economic conditions in the United States. A photographer is in the wrong place, at the wrong time, takes the wrong photo, and the wrong people see it. Can he right that many innocent wrongs?
This book covers situations that occurred during the Great Depression. I was unaware of the depth of despair into which families fell. The twists of this story kept me reading long past bedtime. The repercussions of an act and the followup investigations are gripping.
Based on a true story from the great Depression, Sold on a Monday portrays the story of the desperation of parents to support their families during that sad time. This is an action-packed mystery that holds back the answer until the very end. It all starts when a cub reporter from a Phila newspaper stops on a country road when his car overheats. While waiting, he takes a photo of two boys playing on a porch next to a sign “2 children for sale”. The path this photo takes suddenly becomes a snowball racing downhill into unimaginable dangers. This is a great story based on actual events.
I liked this book very much. The moral dilemma it presented gave much pause for thought. I thought it was well-written, and I loved the era it was set in. It was one of those books I looked forward to getting back to.
Sooo good! I really enjoyed this book. It gives a glimpse into the horrors that befell families after the stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing great depression. I say a glimpse because this story is told from the point of view of a newspaper reporter and photographer.
Ellis Reed finds himself in rural Laurel Township, PA in August of 1931; waiting for his automobile engine to cool down; when he sees two boys sitting on a porch and he snaps a picture of them. Then, the words on the crude wooden sign near the boys registers in his mind and he is appalled.
This seemingly innocuous action will have far reaching consequences. It’s the ripple effect that we so often hear about.
I found this story to be well written. The characters came to life for me. The story conveys the emotions, etiquette, social rules/acceptability of the times and the economic hardships that so many faced. Bravo Kristina McMorris.