ing up his rows and piles of coins, until he has enough to offer the bike seller for one of his own. It turns out that it is not enough! But Yeyo and Saruni’s father work out some- thing to help Saruni get the bike he has been dreaming of. This is a nice story and a warm introduction to savings and earnings. Set in Tanzania, it could also be used as part of a cultural study.
From Seashells to Smartcards: Money One Hen, by Katie Smith Milway (Kids
Can Press, 2008) takes place in a Ghanaian village. None of the twenty families living there has much money. But together they pool their resources by taking turns borrow- ing a sum of money to which each family contributes. Kojo borrows some coins from his mother to buy a hen, then sells eggs and starts making the money with which he can repay his mother. He makes enough money that he can buy another hen who lays more eggs, which means more income. Over time, he is able to build a business that then gener- ates more jobs for other people in the vil- lage. The business grows so large that it pays taxes to the government, which then uses funds to build roads, repair schools, etc. This is an interesting introduction to the concept of microloans and community financing. It is well suited to nine- to twelve-year-olds. For more information about making small loans, visit
onehen.org
My Rows and Piles of Coins, by Tololwa
M. Mollel (Clarion Books, 1999), tells Saruni’s story of saving up money to buy a bicycle. Saruni helps his mother or yeyo by wheeling their goods to market in a squeaky wheelbarrow. At the market his mom encourages him to use some of the coins he’s earned for helping her by buying himself a treat. He looks over everything carefully and decides what he wants most is a bicy- cle—this could also help them get stuff to market. He spends most of a year learning to ride his father’s old bicycle and count-
and Currency, by Ernestine Giesecke (Heinemann Library, 2003), is a non-fiction early chapter book that covers many aspects of money and currency, such as the evolu- tion of trade, barter, and currency; how coins and bills are made; and money from around the world. There are also ideas for activities included here, as well as fun facts, such as which coin is magnetic (the nickel). This book would provide good material for stu- dents from second through fifth grade who are conducting research or perusing books independently.
The Year Money Grew
on Trees, by Aaron Hawkins (Houghton Miflin Books for Children, 2010) is set in 1980s New Mexico: fourteen-year-old Jackson Jones signs a contract with elderly Mrs. Nelson. If he can raise and sell $8,000 worth of apples, she’ll sign over the deed for the orchard to him. In the course of fulfilling his part of the agreement, Jackson employs his sisters and cous- ins to help. They learn about farming—both joys and chal- lenges—and work harder than they ever had in their young lives. When Mrs. Nelson threatens to change her part of the deal, Jackson is hard pressed to generate the money and hope she will hold her to her agreement. This is a story replete with math in an integrated way and features adolescents with a profound work ethic. The writing is outstanding and the book is great for reading groups, indepen- dent work, or as a read-aloud.
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