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Summary
Summary
What's all this madness about money? Long ago, people traded rocks or sheep for the items they wanted, but rocks were heavy and sheep ran away. This beginning guide to economics will have readers thinking about the purpose, and not just the value, of money.
Author Notes
David A. Adler was born in New York City. He attended Queen's College in New York City and later, earned an MBA in Marketing from New York University.
He writes both fiction and non-fiction. He is the author of Cam Jansen mysteries and the Andy Russell titles. His titles has earned him numerous awards including a Sydney Taylor Book Award for his title "The Number on My Grandfather's Arm," "A Picture Book of Jewish Holidays" was named a Notable Book of 1981 by the American Library Association and "Our Golda" was named a Carter G. Woodson Award Honor Book.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Adler begins by asking young readers to imagine a world without money and the complications that would ensue. He then traces the history of our current monetary system, explaining early systems of bartering and the use of such things as rocks and feathers. Adler explains how the value of money fluctuates as prices go up and down and concludes with a discussion of digital money. One statement causes concern; the author states that "Checks and credit cards are money too, because they can be used to buy things." Regarding a credit card as money is irresponsible, and the two should not be equated. Miller's computer-generated illustrations are vibrantly colored if rather flat, but they do help to clarify and support some of the concepts and add some humor to the topic. The book will be useful as a starting point for units on money, but is otherwise an additional purchase.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
(Primary) Cabbage. Dough. Moolah. Why does everybody want it? And what did people do before the almighty dollar existed? Adler and Miller's picture-book look at money is direct and concise ("People want money because it can be used to buy things") and surprisingly humorous ("When animals were used as money, your money needed to be fed. Your money could die. It could run away"). After discussing bartering (and its disadvantages) and early forms of money (and their deficiencies), Adler compares the value of different currencies and touches on deflation/inflation, though his simplified examples may still be a bit tough for younger readers to grasp. Throughout the pages, Uncle Sam and other crisp, computer-generated images expand on the informative text-and add to the silliness. One of Miller's double-page spreads has Uncle Sam throwing salt (which people once used as money) over his shoulder as he simultaneously tries to rope a runaway cow. While it would have been nice to see Sacajawea or Susan B. Anthony on the back cover alongside the statesmen immortalized on our currency, this basic history of money fits the bill in every other way. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
If there is one thing that makes the dismal science a shade less dismal, it's money, as in currency. As Adler points out up front, "People want money because it can be used to buy things." Right, but as a thing in itself, it's pretty fascinating. Money as animals, rocks, feathers, salt, fishhooks and purple beads made from clamshells are all intriguingincluding their drawbacks, like your money dying on you if it happens to be a donkeyas is Adler's elemental explanation of bartering and exchange and the gradual evolution of money from precious metal to artful paper to the woefully drab plastic and digital varieties. Adler is less successful trying to make sense of how money reflects value. He explains that when the cost of ice cream goes down a dollar may buy an extra scoop, but the author doesn't explore the circumstances that may cause this. Miller's flat, digital artwork is solid throughout, providing a cheery Uncle Sam as a guide with simple stylized images set to swaths of yeasty color, flowing easily with the narrative and surprisingly emotive. (Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
This brightly illustrated picture book introduces the concept of money, first by looking at its development as an alternative to bartering and then by explaining the many forms of money, from primitive rocks, feathers, and metal lumps to the familiar coins and paper bills to alternatives such as checks, credit cards, and digital forms of payment. Adler does a particularly good job explaining the inconvenience of bartering through child-friendly examples such as How would a baker trade for a house? How many loaves of bread would he have to trade? And why would anybody want so much bread? Using flat colors and stylized designs, Miller's upbeat digital artwork helps to clarify points made in the text, while adding occasional bits of visual humor. Photos of coins and bills are incorporated where appropriate, and some children will want to pore over the page showing colorful foreign money. For young children, a fine introduction to the subject.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2009 Booklist
