Dollars & Sense: A Kid's Guide to Using—Not Losing—Money

Gr 5 Up—At first glance, this title appears to be a guide to budgeting and spending money wisely, but upon closer inspection, readers will discover this work to be an overview of the history of money—from the exchange of goods and services to the current economic climate. The introduction includes famous quotes from the film Cabaret, the Bible, and Henry Ford as well as a brief overview of the Enron scandal, all in a snappy attempt to show how money is essential to life (even if it is often considered the root of all evil). Beginning with ancient methods of exchange, the text covers the evolution and current state of banking systems in the United States. Other chapters take a break from the history lesson to discuss corporations, stocks, loans, bank accounts, checks, and other types of accounts. A section on handling debt is not only thorough but also timely. Readers will find that the highlighted terms (defined contextually and in the glossary), such as recession, depression, stock, inflation, and foreclosure, clarify a complex system and give a better understanding of the economy on an everyday scale.