Kid Power

Kid Power #1

by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Eleven-year-old Janie advertises to do odd jobs in her neighborhood and receives so much business, she hires her friends and becomes manager of the Kid Power Agency.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Chapter Books, Realistic Fiction

121 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Susan Beth Pfeffer was an American author best known for young adult and science fiction. After writing for 35 years, she received wider notice for her series of post-apocalyptic novels, officially titled "The Life as We Knew It Series", but often called "The Last Survivors" or "Moon Crash" series, some of which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Reviews

[Martin espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daisy

[Riven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did you ever want to make money to get something you really want? Janie Golden did, and that's how Kid Power began. Her mother lost her job, and her father says "no new ten-speed bike." Janie decides to earn the money herself by helping people in her neighborhood. While Janie is making money and having the time of her life, her best friend, Lisa, might not be her best friend anymore!

I think the author is trying to say that friends are more important than money. If you break a promise to a friend because you're too busy making money, like Janie did, your friend is going to be angry and not trust you, and it's going to be hard to get your friend back.

I like the way the author makes Janie feel like a real person I might know. When Harriet, who is the granddaughter of one of Janie's clients, says she is going to sit in Janie's room and read and take the book home with her without asking permission, I feel Janie's anger.

This book is really good. It's exciting and fun. You learn a lot about making money, and you learn that friends are a lot more fun to have than millions of dollars.

[Kerith · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those books I read countless times as a kid, Kid Power turned up in my big bin of books that I'm saving for when my daughter is older. I read it through again -- what fun. Janie Golden is, I think, 11 years old and when her mom is laid off she decides to earn the money for a new bike. She sets up "Kid Power: No job too big or small" and by the end of the summer she is managing her own employment agency. Quite a trip to read when one is searching in the job market as an adult. The setting is of course dated (no internet, cell phones, etc) but that doesn't matter one bit -- Janie's resourcefulness, her tense relationship with her older, frugal sister, their mom's disappointments in the job market -- the whole family is just as real as can be.

I wouldn't want it updated, but it would be fun to talk with a kid who has read it and discuss what Janie would do to set up her business now, in the 21st century. What's different, and what stays the same? What fun.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the kind of book I used to love to read when I was a kid. I was always attracted to the characters who figured out ways to make money. The first time I ever earned money doing work for people that weren't my parents was such a thrill. Saving it and being able to buy my own Christmas presents was so cool. So this book was kind of fun to read (I found it at a thrift store). There are some outdated bits to it - she's excited to make $1 an hour, there's an illustration of her standing in front of a wall-mounted rotary phone, and when there's an emergency she calls the hospital for an ambulance instead of 911. Otherwise, there are some students in my 5th grade class who might enjoy it as well.

[DeAnna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my old favorites as a kid, and I just finished reading it to my kids. It was still enjoyable for me, though not as much as I remembered, but my kids loved it and clamored for me to immediately find a copy of the sequel, Kid Power Strikes Back. Thanks to ABEBooks, it's on the way!

[Molly Patton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fine middle grade book for teaching kids how to be young entrepreneurs. It was solidly written and had some plot elements I hadn't seen before in that genre. I prefer a little more humor in books from this genre nowadays. However, I think I would have enjoyed reading this when I was 10-12.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ha ha ha. I liked this book when I was a kid (can't remember what age). On a whim I picked it up at the library. We'll see how well it withstands the test of time.

- final verdict: Pretty good read.

[Adarsh mahendrakumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was good because it teaches a lesson.the main idea was that she wanted to do a job so she put her phone number in the super market and whenever people needed help they would call her and she would get at least 10s a day

[Delaney States · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book teaches kids the value of money and that is why I picked it for a unit read. This book is an easy chapter book which is good for a unit. I would choose this book for a third grade classroom.

[Partridge Public]

Pfeffer, Susan B. PB

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because it was about kids that thinks they now evwrything

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good book for kids to learn about getting a little nice Summer job.

[Hima · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the main character, Janie Golden. Why? I can really relate to her.

[Matthew]

i love this boo se i read so many books at once its not even funny

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it! I have been looking for this book for forever... what a great memory from so many summers ago...

[Julie Pascoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kids work together and come up with a successful business but one can not do it alone. Read to see how what business they created.

[Bernice · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a book to read in the summer. It has like 121 pages and its very interesting

[Harshini]

good

[Hypnerotomachia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much-loved book from my childhood. It kinda ties up loose ends a bit too conveniently, but overall filled me with optimism about my potential as a child. Janie's family felt a lot like my own family, though it didn't look the same, and her struggles mirrored mine in a lot of ways. I think it'd be an interesting book to give a modern child to start a discussion about how things are different now, in the age of 24/7 internet and smartphones/devices. It might also serve as a springboard for identifying false incoming opportunities, like MLMs.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had this on my shelf since I read it as a child myself, and I picked it up again last night and gave it a read to see if I still like it. I do! It's great, if a bit dated. Smart and determined, yet a believable 11 years old, Janie takes on odd jobs around her town to try to make her own money. She learns from her experiences and finds success.

[Chhavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skimmed, I confess, but what a sweet book!
First read this in 1985 I think
Re-read this in 1988 when we moved. And now.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found in the donation bin and the cover sparked nostalgia. Totally remember reading this. Re-reading 35 years later, this book still is well-written, if a bit dated.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aspiring manager over here. This book was all business and it paid off.