Sold On Monday – by Kristina McMorris
A 1948 photograph of four children on the steps of a home under a sign reading “4 CHILDREN FOR SALE, INQUIRE WITHIN” appeared in the Vidette-Messenger Newspaper. This sparked a chain of events that the photographer never imagined and Kristina Morris used her discovery of the photo to create an intriguing story.
Although, the story itself is based on the photograph, the characters are fictional. Moved by the implications of the photo, McMorris wove her story blending the themes of love, loss, desperation, impossible choices, and redemption.
The happenstance of this photo reaching the editors desk and the events that unfold becomes a touching yet troubling story reflecting the extreme conditions that were a reality during the Great Depression. With a young reporter, Ellis Reed, as the central character we quickly become emotionally involved in his moral struggle after being offered his first big break because of his photo. Lillian Palmer, the colleague who set the ball rolling, is haunted by her role in the process and the two of them, both separately and together, work to resolve the situations that emerge.
Probably written by any mother facing impossible choices, the sign evokes memories and feelings Ellis hasn’t thought about since his own childhood. As the story develops and evolves, Ellis and Lillian have to decide how much they are willing to risk to mend a fractured family. I truly enjoyed this book, although at times somewhat disheartening. McMorris’s ability to recreate the events of the time with a storyteller’s voice is captivating. https://www.kristinamcmorris.com/sold-on-a-monday
- The Inspiration: The book’s plot is based on a photograph that appeared in newspaper in 1948, depicting four siblings huddled on the steps of an apartment building with their mother, who is shielding her face from the camera, and a sign reading
- The Novel’s Focus: The novel follows a young reporter named Ellis Reed who photographs the siblings on the front porch of a farmhouse, and the story explores themes of love, loss, and redemption during the Great Depression.
The 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 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.
At the paper, Lillian Palmer is haunted by her role in all that happened. She is far too familiar with the heartbreak of children deemed unwanted. As the bonds of motherhood are tested, she and Ellis must decide how much they are willing to risk to mend a fractured family.
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.