Ragsale [Hardcover]

Artie Ann Bates (Author), Jeff Chapman-Crane (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 1995 | Age Level: 5 and up

It's a ragsale day and Jessann, her mom, sister Eunice, Mamaw, Aunt Mary Jane, and cousin Billie Joe set off. Driving to the various ragsales they look for the things they need, but also hope to discover some unique unexpected treasures. While her mom looks for clothes for the family, Jessann searches to find some mittens for riding the sled and Billie Joe combs through the piles of used paperbacks. Always an adventure, ragsalin' makes Saturday a special day for this Appalachian family.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Nearly photographic in their precision and clarity, the arresting paintings that newcomer Chapman-Crane contributes to this tale set in Appalachia transmit memorable images of small-town America during a simpler era. However accomplished, the art seems likelier to strike a chord in adults than to engage children. Nor is the plot high in kid-oriented action: a girl tells of accompanying her mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and cousin on a one-day tour of three "ragsales," where they pore over second-hand clothing, books and furnishings and make a few purchases before returning home. Youngsters may stumble over first-time author Bates's period setting ("These stockings with a line up the back look like Elizabeth Taylor") and the occasionally mannered writing ("We carry our treasures to the car, tired legs and thinking of supper"). The warmth of both the art and the text show that Kentucky natives Bates and Chapman-Crane create from the heart; this book is narrow in its appeal, but future collaborations are worth watching for. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4?A Kentucky author and illustrator team up to provide an evocative picture of a family's day spent searching for "finds" among bundles of used clothes, jewelry, books, and furniture at a series of ragsales. A young girl describes some of the things she and her sister might come home with?some red mittens, a pearl necklace, "a painting that might be by a famous artist...," or a collection of Emily Dickinson's poetry. Surprise bundles await the girls at the end of the day. Their mother sums up ragsale philosophy when she says, "Why pay a lot for clothes when I can fix these up...?" Bates's descriptive prose is reminiscent of George Ella Lyon's, and she is equally adept at portraying Appalachia neither romantically nor pejoratively. There is no stimga attached to buying second-hand goods, and the children in the story think of the outing as a treasure hunt. Chapman-Crane's paintings are slightly dark, much like the inside of an antique store, and although his setting has an old-fashioned ambiance, the characters and events are timeless. His details will be recognizable to anyone familiar with flea markets and similar places, even down to the pattern on a china bowl. Use this title to spark imaginations and possibly to change feelings about dreaded hand-me-downs!?Cheri Estes, Dorchester Road Regional Library, Charleston, SC
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (March 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395700302
• ISBN-13: 978-0395700303
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,550,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Memories, January 14, 2006

By 

Karen Edmondson "stillinpreschool" (Sparta, Ky. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ragsale (Hardcover)

I came across this book by accident when our local librarian delivered it to my classroom to go along with my current theme. I absolutely loved it! Being from Letcher County, it brought back many memories for me, and the pictures accurately portray those memories. A great resource to introduce my students to my Applachian heritage.