You Can't Buy a Dinosaur With a Dime: Problem-solving in Dollars and Cents

by Harriet Ziefert, Amanda Haley (Illustrator)

Pete uses the money he has saved to buy a toy dinosaur, then must earn and save more before making his next purchase.

Genres: Picture Books, Mathematics, Money, Childrens, Counting, Fiction, Dinosaurs

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Harriet Ziefert grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Masters degree in Education from New York University.

For many years, Ziefert was an elementary school teacher. She taught most grades from kindergarten to fifth grade. "I liked it," she said, but she stopped teaching when she had her own sons. When her children were older, Ziefert wanted "a bigger arena" for her work. She went to work at a publishing company, Scholastic in New York City, developing materials for teacher's guides for kindergarten language arts and social studies programs.

"About twelve years ago," says Ziefert in a 1995 interview, "I tried to get a job as an editor, but no one would hire me as a trade editor. So I decided to write my own books." Since then, she has written several hundred books, mostly picture books and easy-to-read books. "I write books very quickly," she says, "in about twelve hours. I rewrite them three times over three days, and then they're done." She writes about twenty books a year.

Reviews

[Ann Marie Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grade level: 2nd grade

I liked this book because it is a good way to incorporate how to count money into children's literature. I think this would be a more fun way to learn how to count money and how to be responsible with the money that you have. The story is about a little boy, Pete, who constantly counts his money. He decides he wants to buy a toy with the money that he has saved. He goes to the toy store and picks out a toy dinosaur for $3.00. At the bottom of the page, it says "Have you spent money from your bank? How much? How much do you have left?" It is important to ask these questions to teach children to be responsible with their money. The story proceeds and Pete is running out of money and he is sad. His dad tells him he can earn two dollars if he cleans the yard. Pete works hard and cleans the yard and earns his money and decides he wants to save it for awhile.
Also, at the end of the book the author provides more "Money Fun" where students can learn more about money and how to make money. There is also a fact sheet about money in the back that talks about the history and discovery of money.

Purposes:
-Read aloud and ask the questions at the bottom of the pages and work together as a class to figure out the answers.
-Learning how to count money and save money
-Figurative language: "Pete finds a scary dinosaur, as green as sour pickles."
-Work hard and earn money

[Maddie Scheer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal: I love books like these that serve multiple purposes!! I thought it was very clever to see Pete work for his money and then learn how to understand what his money could give him! I also love cartoon-like books and I felt this book intrigued me in that sense.

Purpose: This would be a great read-aloud for K2 students in learning how to count change. It allowed the students reading to answer a question on each page. This would be a great interactive book to use after introducing coin principles to students. It wouldn't be a beginner book, because it doesn't explain what coins are but rather the concept of counting the mass of coins. In the back of the book, there are activities that your students can do after reading. This is a great way to expand their knowledge after reading and carry this out after the book!

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notes: You Can't Buy a Dinosaur With a Dime: Problem-Solving in Dollars and Cents, by Harriet Ziefert is a great book that students will enjoy and it works well with a math lesson involving money. Also has lesson ideas/activites in the back of the book.

Book Review: In this book Ziefert does a nice job including money into a book. A young boy saves his money from doing various chores and one day decides to go to the store and buy something. He looks around and finds a dinosaur that he wants to buy, but does he have enough? This book can be very interactive for students.

Recommend: I would recommend this book to students who are learning about money.

[Chelsea Ulrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be used with first or second graders as you teach addition and subtraction with money. In using this book, I would have students work with manipulatives of quarters and dimes to help them understand that when you buy something you have to take money away. It would be helpful to see how students manipulate their money as they are working through problems and I think it would be helpful to allow students the opportunity to work with money on their own and see the relationship between different coins and dollar amounts.

[Darise Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! This book is fun and creative. This is a story from a young boy named Pete. In order for him to have money and have a piggy bank, he needs to save money. So he knew he had to make an allowance. He started to help around at home and his parents. Then later he had enough money for him to buy himself a toy. At a point he thought he would not have enough or didn't want to wasit too money but yet he knew what was best. So he continues to establish on having his own allowance in order for him to buy his toys.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book on earning money and saving for a goal - in Pete's case, to buy toy dinosaurs! It is a little dated and maybe skews a little too much toward basic money skills for my middle school students, but it has an engaging rhyme scheme and cute illustrations that will definitely appeal to elementary school students. The book effectively covers the concepts of money (and money math), income (via Pete's allowance and earning money for extra chores), savings, and sales tax. There are some great questions for further inquiry at the end as well as some fun facts about money.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great because it not only teaches the importance of saving money, but also the importance of working hard to earn money. This story could definitely be used in a classroom to help students understand how/why money is used. It also could be used to help students practice their money counting skills. The book also contains extra facts and activities for money that could also be implemented in a classroom. I would recommend this book for a 1st/2nd grade class.

[Bekkah Riecke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really intrigued by this book and the way it talked about money. It has questions for the class to answer during a read aloud on several of the pages which makes it a breeze to use for a read aloud. This would be a fun way to introduce money in general or a story to read while wrapping up the money unit. There are also some great word problems using money within the book that the students can use during the week to talk about using money.

[Alicia Tavernier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful and creative way to intorduce the concept of money to children. These drawings are childlike and fun to read with. This book touches on counting money, and learning saving patterns. This book also teaches how hard work is rewarding. When doing chores and saves his money he goes to the store to spend his hard earned money. I gave this book 5 stars out of 5 stars because of the cute illustrations, the intreresting storyline, and the introduction of money into literature.

[Karelle Royal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great math word problems.
Story about a boy name Pete who has his heart set on buying a particular dinosaur.
Teaches about saving & spending money.
Addition & Subtraction (with $$).
Teaches ways that children can earn their own money (doing chores, selling stuff.
Teaches about setting and reaching goals.
Great for teaching about money equivalents.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a great text for young and older children. The rhyming is catchy and the story of the boy Pete and his love of dinosaurs is sweet. For children to understand the monetary component of the book they will have to know how to count quarters, dimes and nickels. Otherwise that part of the book will go over their heads.

[Naomi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gotta say that this book was confusing to me in some of the information it threw out to solve math problems. I can imagine what it is like for a kid. I also didn't like some of the questions it asked. Not all kids in the US get an "allowance" and thought that it could make them stand out in some of the exercises that she recommended that kids do.

[Rebecca Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book to use for a lesson about money. I would give each students a handful of coins and bills to use when reading the story. They can add and subtract the money as the boy in the story does. After every other page I would ask the students, "How much money does he have now?"

[Allison Burke]

This book teaches children about earning and saving up money. I would use this book when introducing money and how to count coins and bills. It's also a great lesson about working for money and how rewarding it can be. Grades 1-3

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhyming text and bright illustrations show Pete spending his money, working hard, saving his money for something big, and spending it again. A good lesson in money and hard work but definitely too much for my preschoolers.

[Kayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is great for teaching problem-solving. It also teaches responsibility, addition, and the beginnings of good work ethics.

[Attwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about counting money in dollars and cents!

[Nikkik0428 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did this book for a read out loud. I liked it because it can be used as a math reference as well due to all the coins that it uses in the book. I would recommend this for a 2nd grade class.

[Karley]

This is a cute story that explores counting money. I would use this text with first and second grade. This text makes real life connections and explores problem solving.

[Kiddo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good idea from this book: make coin rubbings.

[Gricel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money operations, addition, subtraction, saving. 6 years and up

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teaches the value of money & how to count.

[Morgan Sheehy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read for math lessons.

[Kilei Motz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for teaching students how to count money, and it rhymes. You get to follow Pete as he saves his money and buys toys. would be a great mentor text for counting money!

[Melanie Duvic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book may be used to teach addition and subtraction with money to first- or second-graders. I would use this book to teach students about the necessity of taking money away when you buy anything by having them practice with quarter and dime manipulatives. Allowing students the chance to work with money on their own and observe the link between various coins and dollar amounts would be beneficial. It would also be interesting to observe how students manipulate their money as they solve problems.

[Hsu Chao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allosaurus and stegosaurus and pterodactyl and brontosaurus and pleiosaur? Jurassic and Mesozoic.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book trys to teach about saving money.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect for a kid who's learning about coins in school and has a tendancy to spend all he's saved!