THE GOLD WATCH
by Bernice Myers & illustrated by Bernice Myers
In a pared-down style with the nuances of real experience, a mini-novel: After Joey's Dad loses his job, he pawns his watch. Joey tries to buy it back; his pennies are too few, so he offers his bike, which the gruff pawnbroker accepts in trade for the watch. The happy ending (new job, bike returned) may be less familiar to some children than the hard times, but it's satisfying; the cartoon-style illustrations are lively and expressive. (Picture book. 4-8)