Children's Books discussion
The Picture-Book Club
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September 2016: Financial Literacy (Discuss Our Club Reads Here)
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With fun and engaging, snappy rhymes, M is for Money is really only an alphabet book in name, as the format chosen is for all intents and purposes just utilised to present relevant information and details about basic and not so basic economics and finance in the guise, in the costume of the former. The alphabet book type is in this case thus not really in any way meant for children to learn and practice their letters, but to present, to elaborate on the main, the essential elements of financial literacy in a fun, playful, but at the same time informative manner and fashion.
Younger children (from about the age of six to nine, as the themes, the financial details featured are definitely a bit too advanced for toddlers) will probably most enjoy the generally fun, flowing and often rollicking rhymes of each of the twenty-six "letters" (experiencing, joining in poetic fun and games whilst also learning the basic tenets of finance, economics, money), but older children, even up to young teenagers will likely get more enjoyment and much essential learning from the detailed supplemental explanations that accompany each of the different letter specific rhymes. Personally, I most appreciate the fact that while the individual poetry offerings are by nature and necessity simple and short, they also always feature a more than adequate amount of relevant financial information (not as much as the supplemental explanations, of course, but that is what supplemental information is meant to be, additional, generally increasingly complex details and explanations). Another and for me rather majorly important advantage of M is for Money is that unlike with many informational alphabet books, the supplemental details actually accompany the alphabet, letter rhymes and are not relegated to the back of the book as an appendix (and if only Michael and Debbie Shoulders had also included a bibliography with suggestions for further reading and research, I would have been perfectly happy with the text, with the narrative, with the information featured and described).
As to Marty Kelley's bright and lively illustrations, while they do for the most part work well enough and in tandem with the written text, with Michael and Debbie Shoulders' fun and engaging verses, I really cannot and will not consider them as all that much to my personal taste (they are far too cartoon-like for me, and especially the facial expressions depicted often seem overly exaggerated, with widely gaping, smiling countenances that seem unnatural, even potentially creepy). And while I do much appreciate the easy and yes, natural multi-ethnic feel of Kelley's illustrations, I simply do not like them all that much as pictures in and of themselves, and this to such an extent that they at times did and do prove a trifle distracting (taking my attention away from the narrative).
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Informative perhaps, but I really cannot consider either text or accompanying photographs all that engaging in and of themselves. For while this book might indeed work well enough in an elementary school classroom as a basic and simple economics/finance textbook, for general interest, Do I Need It? Do I want it?: Making Budget Choices really does tend to move along, to read, somewhat too monotonously, and thus, at least in my opinion, rather fails with regard to making the essential and necessary concept of financial literacy interesting and worthy of consideration for and to many children (especially those children who have little natural interest in concepts of finance, budgetary choices, economics and the like will or at least could find the plodding general nature of the narrative and the rather mundane and stagnant photographs uninspiring, uninteresting and lacking).
I also have to wonder at some of the presented, depicted divisions of wants and needs. Yes, a bicycle is more a want than basic food and shelter (which are always necessary for survival). However, if say, a person's job depended upon having a bicycle, that bicycle would then no longer be a mere want, but turn into a legitimate need, an actual requirement (food for thought and discussion). 2.5 stars, rounded up to a low 3 star rating, as I do appreciate the importance of the information, the details featured, and very much commend author Jennifer S. Lawson for having provided a bibliography with suggestions for further reading choices (as this unfortunately is still often the exception rather than the rule in children's non fiction).
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A delightful introduction to Thoreau for younger children, but while I do appreciate both narrative and accompanying illustrations, I would definitely have preferred it, had Henry NOT been depicted as a bear, but as a person (as Henry David Thoreau the man, not Henry the bear). That being said, this tale does leave me smiling with appreciation (especially at how Henry is able to simplify his existence with a small, frugal and inexpensive cabin serving his basic needs, but is then both willing and able to make use of the free of charge natural beauty and tranquility of the surrounding woods to augment, enhance and support his lifestyle requirements). Sweet and engaging in and of itself, the supplemental information on Henry David Thoreau (including how much, or rather how little money Thoreau actually spent constructing his cabin in the woods) is an added bonus (but I do miss the inclusion of a bibliography with suggestions for further supplemental reading).
I also have to say that aside from the list showing how little Henry David Throeau actually paid (in real life) for his cabin in the woods (this is in the supplemental materials at the back), I do not really think that this book is all that much abut financial literacy (I think it could be used with children to show that one can be frugal, that one can be cost effective when building or deciding to build something, but the main body of the text itself, is really not that much about finance and money concerns as a main topic, but rather more about how Henry is able to enjoy his life even whilst embracing a more simple and less cluttered lifestyle and existence).
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A few of the examples are pretty indisputable. "Candy is a want." Yeah, our bodies don't need candy!
But some examples a bit more open to discussion:
"A bicycle is a want." Well, yes, if considering a bicycle for recreational purposes. But many people (children and adults) use bicycles as a primary mode of transportation and, in this case, it is no more a "want" than a car would be. Again, some context would be nice.
"A place to live is a need." That is true. The accompanying photo shows a family looking at a nice new house. "A home is a need." We all need a home, but not everyone lives in a nice new house. Many homes have "wants" attached to them. Perhaps this is too complex for the scope of this book, but a good discussion point if sharing with children especially if they are from diverse socio-economic groups.
I also felt a few of the photographs could have been better chosen, or had more text. I like that the book shows "Many people share their money with other people who need it" but, again, felt like more could have been said here. The Salvation Army-type collection bucket may not be recognizable to all children, either.
I also think more discussion is needed as to why one would want to put money in a bank vs. keepint it at home.
Anyway, all in all it's a decent brief introduction but you might need to bring a lot to it if you're sharing it with kids.
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Informative perhaps, but I really cannot consider either text or accompanying photographs all that engaging in and of themselve..."
I see we felt much the same, Gundula. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the group responds. Those of you sharing this with kids, what did they think? Did it make sense to them? Raise questions? Did you have to supplement quite a bit?
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Informative perhaps, but I really cannot consider either text or accompanying photographs all that engaging i..."
I liked that you also had questions about the bicycle, like I did. A bicycle could be either a want or a need, depending on context.
There is so much going on in this book, and I love all of it! Tia Isa wants a car, so she and her niece work hard to save up the money to buy one. They learn that sometimes you have to work hard and wait a long time to get the things you want or need. I also love the side plot of the "helping money," that the girl's aunt and uncle are sending home to their family, in the hopes that one day they can all join them in this new country. So many good things to start conversations with kids!
Max and Ruby are on their way to buy a present for Grandma, but they will need money to get there and to purchase it. I really liked the way the wallet was at the bottom of the pages so you could see the money leaving the wallet as Max and Ruby spent it. I also liked that the book talked about the fact that you have to spend money on food, laundry, and bus fare; not just toys. I think kids sometimes forget those things! A fun beginner to the concept of financial responsibility for kiddos - especially the preschool range!
I love the literary names of the bears, and after reading the author's note I understand why they are names as such! I though this was a cute story, and possibly a good introduction to small children if you were going to discuss Thoreau or Walden. I suppose the best "financial" related information is the quote at the end of the author's note from Thoreau about a house being a simple thing and not trying to keep up with your neighbors. Not my favorite story, but cute nonetheless.
*I also agree with Gundula about the characters not being bears. I guess I would love this book if I was really into that group of authors (Thoreau, Alcott, et al) and wanted to share that love with my kids. For instance, I have a nephew named after a hobbit (at least it's his middle name) and if there was a kids book about the Inklings, I would totally buy it for my sister and her kids - since she loves them so.
I LOVED this book. It's a great intro to money and budgeting, perfect for kids who need to learn about saving vs. spending. I would totally use this with my 7 year old, or any kid who is old enough to earn money and needs to learn about saving. I especially liked the pages that talked about not buying candy with all your money; maybe buy one piece and then save the rest. Identifying the differences between a need and a want was appreciated, and I also liked the real life applications of budgets and saving: car troubles, school budgets, vacations, and trampolines.
RE: Gundula and Kathryn, I will read this with my daughter later this week and let you know what she thinks. I like this book mostly as a jumping off point for many discussions on financially responsible behavior between parents and children. I feel like it leaves a lot of questions to be asked, and answered, by parents. And I would have loved to use the simple budget explanation when I was working with the cub scouts (10 year old boys).
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I LOVED this book. It's a great intro to money and budgeting, perfect for kids who need to learn about saving vs. spending..."
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Sam! I'm glad the book was a winner for you.
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I agree with Sam, this was a very good book about saving money and waiting until one has enough to purchase the wanted item. It also showed the young girl proactively getting odd jobs to save up even more money. So through hard work and patience, the two save up enough money for a used car that can carry everyone to the beach. Nowhere in the book does it state where Tia Isa and her niece are living; possibly New York city; and nowhere does it state where the rest of the relatives are who want to join them. Possibly Puerto Rico or Cuba. The illustrations were very nice as well, with well-done facial expressions and lots of details that extend beyond the text.
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I love the literary names of the bears, and after reading the author's note I understand why they are names as such! I though this was a cute story, and poss..."
Hmm, but for me, being into the group of authors (especially Thoreau and Emerson, with Alcott, I am much more into his daughter) I actually was a bit annoyed at them being depicted as animals and not as people (nothing against bears, but I have never been all that enamoured of anthropormophised animals and Henry David Thoreau, Bronson Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson should not in my opinion, even for young children be what I would call "cutefied" and a bit trivialised by having them be turned into clothes wearing bears)
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I LOVED this book. It's a great intro to money and budgeting, perfect for kids who need to learn about saving ..."
I am glad that Sam enjoyed this, but for me, and being someone not all that interested in finance, I find the text adequate but woefully dry (a bit of humour or some more interesting anecdotes, as well as colourful illustrations and not these really stagnant photographs would definitely have kept my interest more). Financial literacy is an important concept, but is also not something to which most children would naturally be drawn, and thus, a picture book (an illustrated book) on the subject should be both interesting and enlightening, as well as demonstrate some fun or potential fun (and that in my opinion just was not really the case here).
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I loved this book! The language and illustrations really spoke to me and the message is beautiful.
It definitely speaks to the idea of earning money and saving money. I appreciate Isa's tenacity and spunk, especially in the face of naysayers, in holding fast to her dream of buying a car and working hard to achieve that dream. I also appreciate her niece's efforts to contribute to the car fund (there's a special place in my heart for books with proactive kids who find ways to achieve what they want; we have many fantasy-type examples of this, but it's just as powerful when it's a kid who takes a side-job to help the family out, as in this story). And some of the ways she helps are just so wonderful and so adorably told (like teaching Miss Amy, the librarian with a crush on Senor Perez, how to Spanish so she can invite him over for sandwiches).
You also know that saving to buy a car is not the only aspect of life in which Isa has had to be tenacious and spunky and overcome adversity. For this is also an immigrant story. It's poignantly and subtly woven into the overarching story, but we learn that Tia Isa and her brother and their niece are the only members of the family who have immigrated so far. We know that the rest of the family is waiting, waiting, waiting, for an opportunity to leave the island. Tia Isa found a way to leave the island, to start making a better life for herself and her family. And she and her niece found a way to buy a car, becoming the only people in the neighborhood able to get away to the beach "foamy water that reaches all the places I cannot go." Somehow, you get the impression Isa and her niece will find a way to get to all those places someday, too!
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I agree. I guess maybe I was hoping for more of a story-based exploration of the topic. For me, this was like a mini-textbook. But, I'm glad that others got more out of it than we did! ;-)
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But even as a textbook, I think this could have been more engaging (I especially did not like the photographs all that much, I think drawn illustrations would have worked better, and why not include some graphs, some diagrams and the like).
Manybooks wrote: "I find the text adequate but woefully dry (a bit of humour or some more interesting anecdotes, as well as colourful illustrations and not these really stagnant photographs would definitely have kept my interest more). "Yes, if I had read this book merely by itself, I would totally agree with you. I guess I should have clarified that I love this book solely for the many jumping off points that it gives for discussions and questions. If I read this book entirely on it's own, I would not have liked it nearly as much. I guess I viewed it more as a teaching tool/introduction to a lesson than as an all-encompassing book. Hazards of being a teacher, I guess :)
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It does work well as a starting off point for further discussions, questions and such, but considering that this book would probably often be used in a classroom or homeschooling educational setting, another thing that would have increased the teaching and learning value would have been activity suggestions and possible exercises.
Do I Need It? or Do I Want It?: Making Budget ChoicesAs an elementary teacher, I think this is a great introduction to the economics unit I teach. Most of the concepts I am supposed to teach (wants vs. needs, goods and services, saving, spending, budgets) are introduced as well as much of the vocabulary. I don't think this book will capture many children's attention as a book to read independently but it seems like a great resource for parents or teachers.
It is obviously just an introduction to these topics and additional reading, discussion and activities will be needed. In addition, the book does seem very geared to middle or even upper middle class suburban families (based on the photos chosen). In one photo, the family is looking to purchase a nice home. Another photo shows a family in a living room with white furniture and nice furnishings. It would be nice if a greater diversity of socioeconomic levels had been pictured. But again, I think this could be used as a point of discussion. I do appreciate that it includes a glossary and suggestions for further reading. While perhaps not the most engaging book, I do think it is a valuable resource.
And Gundula, I agree that the teaching and learning value would have increased if it had activity suggestions incorporated..either right into the text or at the end. For example, at the beginning when it shows the girl with the $5 and says if she saves enough money, she can buy a camera, it could easily have said how much the camera might cost and could ask readers how long it will take the girl (who is nameless...even naming her might increase interest a bit) to save enough. Or perhaps rather than labeling candy and bicycles as wants and homes and foods as needs, it could have a page with photos of common items and ask the reader to determine which are wants and needs (and then include an "answer key" at the back...although as both Kathryn and Gundula point out, what is a want for some may be a need for others.). I definitely think this book works best when shared by an adult with a child/children so that discussion can occur.
I won't be teaching about economics until a little later in the school year. I definitely plan to use this and will try to remember to post back how it goes when I actually share it with my class. The good thing is that I can incorporate some activities of my own with the book. In fact, I probably wouldn't read it in one sitting. I would probably only read one section or two and then do a more hands on activity to reinforce that section's concepts.
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I could imagine this book working well in the classroom. I think the fact that you have come up with some very good ideas for supplementary activities again highlights the need to have had these included, as you, as Sam, as I, who are used to teaching and have experience (usually) with creating activities and exercises will likely not have many problems doing this, but that parents who are not teachers might not be used to his and thus find it more of a potential challenge (when I teach German, I ALWAYS create supplemental activities and exercises, but it is also nice and a big time saver that the textbooks I use always have their share of activities included in the text proper).
I also think that one could perhaps include the Caldecott book, A Chair for My Mother in a unit on financial wants, needs and because unlike Do I Need It? or Do I Want It?: Making Budget Choices, it clearly shows a more working class environs (perhaps the one about Tia Isa and her car as well, but I have not been able to get that one). Be that as it may, the comfortable chair for the mother is for all intents and purposes a want, but considering how tired the mother is after her shift as a waitress, the chair is also somewhat of a need, maybe not as much a need as the new apartment, beds and such, but still somewhat necessary for the mother's health and wellbeing.
I agree, Gundula...and I think you and Kathryn raised good points. There are lots of ways this could be improved, both to make it more engaging and more educational..but it is one of the few books I have found that introduces so many of the specific topics I am supposed to teach that it is still of value to me.And I will definitely incorporate other books...I love A Chair for My Mother and I am looking forward to reading the other books this month (they just arrived at my library in the last couple of days and I haven't made it there to check them out yet...I plan to go tomorrow.). Hopefully some of them will be of use as well.
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I am glad you have found the book good for your classroom, and I know that I have never taught from any German language textbook that I did not feel could have been improved, had better grammar explanations, more activities etc.
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As an elementary teacher, I think this is a great introduction to the economics unit I teach. Most of the concepts I am supposed..."
I'm so glad that the book will be useful for you and your students, Jenny! I appreciate your insights for teaching the subject and the aspects that you highlighted as beneficial to you make me appreciate the book a little more.
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Thomas King's A Coyote Solstice Tale is a fun romp through what can be described as some of the not so appealing aspects of the holiday season (crowded malls, consumerism run rampant and that like the little girl who has disguised herself as a reindeer points out, no one wants to share, everyone is on edge and out to spend, spend, spend, waiting in line like cattle, fighting with those ahead of them or behind them and so on and so on). Although rather humorous, I actually find the narrative also a bit depressing, but really, that is actually a good thing, as the over-commercialism of the solstice (the holiday season, whether one celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, whatever) is a real and very present issue, one that needs to be considered, and one that definitely needs to be considered with a satiric and critical eye (I just wish that the rhyming couplets were a bit less awkward, as while I truly am able to appreciate Thomas King's words, I am also not totally able to love them, as the text does have the tendency to awkwardness, to rhymes that read haltingly and thus inhibit the flow of the narrative at times). As to Gary Clement's illustrations, while they are bright and lively, they are also much too cartoon like for my taste (and Coyote looks more like a fox than an actual coyote, which personally, I find a bit off-putting and distracting). All this notwithstanding, the illustrations do provide a charming and successful compliment to the narrative, providing a successful and at times hilarious marriage of text and image (especially Gary Clements depictions of the chaos, frayed nerves and rampant consumerism of the shopping mall and especially the scowling faces of the masses of shoppers are spot on).
For this month's topic, although I enjoyed this book a lot, like the book about Henry building his cabin, I think that A Coyote Solstice Tale is really only very partially about financial literacy. I guess it could be used to discuss that when one goes shopping in a shopping mall, one needs to pay for one's purchases, either right at the time of purchase or on credit or with a payment plan, but this book (and I realise that I am the one who originally nominated it) is really more about Christmas, and that the holiday, the solstice season is getting more and more commericialised, more frenetic, and more and more rampantly materialistic than it is about actual questions of financial literacy, of knowing how to deal with questions of finance and money.
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All of the items the coyote purchases at the mall are definitely wants, not needs, like a plasma TV, books by Proust (well maybe I would call these a need, but with a bit of a winking eye).
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I appreciated that the concepts are both universal in the general sense, and also culturally specific in the details. I'd like to know which city, which beach, Isa lives in now, and which island the family is from. Something about the colors, yellows and teals and pinks, says Miami and Cuba to me. But I dunno. Do any of you have a guess?
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Henry Builds a Cabin is probably not my very favorite, because I just wince every time I read about him cutting down those trees. And of course winter in Massachusetts is long. And I know from other readings that Henry did spend a fair bit of time visiting (mooching off) friends in town. But still, the main concept of the book, that living simply & w/ thrift, and spending a lot of time out-doors, is valuable.
And, imo, thrift, recycling, and upcycling are definitely part of financial literacy. For example, maybe you *need* a bicycle for transportation, but you still don't have to buy it new, instead you can refurbish a castoff. If we only define financial literacy in the narrowest of terms about how to handle cash, we'll not be able to teach much to the picture-book audience.
Btw, Henry's friend Miss Lydia is probably Lydia Maria Child, author of The American Frugal Housewife and other books. Shame I had no clue until I looked her up.
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[book:Henry Builds a Cabin|..."
I never caught the Lydia connection either ...
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Rosemary Wells is one of the queens of picture books, and her Max & Ruby books are all delightful. I am in agreement with the reviews above; this is a good book for showing how one's money can dwindle away in unexpected ways, and that sometimes one must make adjustments in what one can purchase. I also liked the end activity of photocopying the money from the endpapers to use for play and teaching purposes.
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I don't know that I have all that much to add to the reviews above. I really liked the illustrations, and I was not really put off by the famous people imagined as bears. Perhaps the illustrator thought this representation would be more appealing to young children. I liked the way he depicted rain--with the picture cut into panels that don't fit exactly together. I agree that this book doesn't touch much on financial education, apart from recycling and being frugal.
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I thought this story was pretty humorous, but other than the girl dressed as a reindeer, I didn't see mention of Christmas, or Hannukah anywhere, only solstice. The illustrations were humorous as well, but not my favorite style of illustration. And the coyote did look like a fox, with the long snout and orange coat. The only financial literacy bit was the coyote learning to his dismay that he actually has to pay for all the items in his shopping cart. He did get a bit greedy. So everyone learned a good lesson about the importance of being with friends and enjoying the peace of the season.
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I feel that children who encounter this book in school, homeschool, or a genre:non-fiction challenge will learn a lot. ... and I also feel good knowing that some children are learning these concepts. Sadly, it's not information that is too basic. I know adults who need to learn financial literacy starting right at this level.
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Even though this book was not a personal favourite, I wish that we had had books like this when I was at school.
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And I would also have enjoyed the supplemental economics information contained in M is for Money: An Economics Alphabet and found both this (and the main text rhymes) very informative and educational (and fun) when we were covering basic economics in grade ten or so.
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I really enjoyed the book, although the illustrations were not to my taste and especially since there is so much knowledge presented, a bibliography and list for supplemental readings should have been included (too bad your library did not have it, but then again, mine also only had some of the choices).
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Yes, an important lesson, but I'm not sure the book as a whole is that suitable for a "financial literacy" type book. Still, it could definitely serve a purpose.
I actually didn't enjoy it all that much. I found the rhymes awkward and the illustrations were not my style at all. It also just felt too didactic and one-dimensional in its attack on consumerism. I agree that a lot of the holiday shopping is way over-the-top and some people can get a little crazy and greedy about it BUT it's also a very nice feeling to give gifts to people and a lot of people depend on retail for jobs in our economy. And while excess is one thing, even if one makes homemade gifts it's usually with crafts or food items purchased from stores so I think making the stores so hideous is over-exaggeration. Adults get it, of course, but I'm not sure if it's quite the right presentation for kids. So, on one hand I can appreciate the point of the story but it's not really my favorite delivery.
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I agree that the rhymes and the illustrations leave a bit to be desired and while I actually enjoyed the attack on consumerism, even its onesidedness, I also think that the ending had something missing, such as a real and non consumerist solstice celebration to which also the little girl and her family (and maybe even others) would be invited.
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Agreed.
Henry Builds a CabinI liked this story quite a bit and it has several angles that could be discussed or could be the source of teaching points. Henry is, of course, Henry David Thoreau although he and the other characters are portrayed by bears. (I love the illustrations so I, personally, like his portrayal as a bear.) Henry is building a very small home with the help of his friends. They are concerned about how small it is...but he points out where his library and ballroom and dining room will be (all outside in nature). The book contains an author's note that introduces Thoreau and his life on Walden Pond. It includes a table that shows the items he used to build his house and how much he paid for them.
I wish the author's note also noted what an average home cost at the time as a source of comparison. I also wish the author's note introduced the reader to Thoreau's friends, Emerson, Alcott, and Miss Lydia. While adults may know who the friends are, child readers would not and this information would be a valuable addition, in my opinion.
This book could lead to discussions on what is needed versus what is wanted, Thoreau and his writing, information on the historical time period and the other historical figures, discussion on the money spent on his house (only $28.12 1/2) and even, perhaps, discussion on the value of spending time in nature.
A Coyote Solstice Tale I wanted to like this more than I did. I am a huge fan of Christmas and the holiday season and really love almost everything about it. I am not naive enough to not recognize that it is over-commercialized and can be a time of greed and consumerism...but it can also be a time of giving and charity and renewing friendships and showing love in a variety of methods. I don't love to shop but I do enjoy trying to pick out a thoughtful gift for those I love most. I love the baked goods and the parties and the music and the stories and the religious celebrations. So I am the wrong audience for this cautionary tale of all that is wrong with the commercialized side of the holidays. In addition, the rhymes were occasionally awkward and the illustrations were not to my fancy.
If I can give a point of credit to this book, it has had me thinking about it all week. Which hasn't made me like it anymore...but it did get me thinking... I started comparing it a bit to How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I definitely prefer the Grinch because when all the consumerism and what might appear to be greed is stripped away, the holiday and good spirit still remains...."Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!" It seems a related message to me, but, in my opinion, Dr. Seuss handles the message in a much more positive and inspiring way.
Bunny MoneyA cute story. Max and Ruby head to the store to buy grandma a gift...but they encounter one expense after another, depleting their funds. They finally settle on a gift, a much less expensive gift than they had originally planned, but a thoughtful gift for grandma nonetheless. I like how Ruby always takes care of Max, even though he sometimes exasperates her. I appreciate the discussions that could take place about how when we budget, often unexpected expenses will arise and how we handle that. This could also lead to a discussion about what we need and want, planning ahead (for example, Max and Ruby could have packed a sack lunch...or gone shopping right after lunch so they wouldn't need to buy food) and also what constitutes real money. The bunny money included on the endpapers could be a great tool for parent and child as long as the child understands that it isn't real money.
Tia Isa Wants a CarLove, love, love this! It is reminiscent of A Chair for My Mother. Tia Isa decides she wants to buy a car. A green car that can take them to the ocean and will remind her of the island she left to come to America. Tio Andres says she is ridiculous. But Tia Isa saves and her niece, the narrator, finds ways to help. It takes effort and time and patience and determination, but finally they have saved enough to buy a car.
I love the illustrations and the incorporation of some Spanish words into the text. (A glossary might be a nice addition although most of the words are easy to decipher from context.) I appreciate that the family are immigrants and that they clearly have to work and save to buy a car...their finances are limited. So many of the students I have taught would relate to these characters. It will be a great book to talk about basic economy principles with my students...needs vs. wants, spending and saving, working to earn money, etc. A great book!
Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
M is for Money: An Economics Alphabet (other topics)A Coyote Solstice Tale (other topics)
A Coyote Solstice Tale (other topics)
Henry Builds a Cabin (other topics)
A Coyote Solstice Tale (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
D.B. Johnson (other topics)D.B. Johnson (other topics)
Lydia Maria Child (other topics)
A Coyote Solstice Tale
Tia Isa Wants a Car
Bunny Money
Henry Builds a Cabin
Do I Need It? or Do I Want It?: Making Budget Choices
Sixth/Alternate:
M is for Money: An Economics Alphabet
I look forward to our discussion in September!