The Kids' Allowance Book [Hardcover]

Amy Nathan (Author), Debbie Palen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1998 | Age Level: 9 and up

Practical, informative, accessible, and written specifically for children, "The Kids' Allowance Book" is a fun, lighthearted yet important guide to a topic near and dear to kids and adults alike.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-This book presents the responses of 166 kids to questions about the pros and cons of allowances, how to convince parents to give them, how they're allocated, and whether and how they should be tied to chores. Nathan also presents the children's ideas on a variety of possible structures, from a regular schedule of specific chores to the "just because" plan, where youngsters get allowances as their share of family income but may be expected to do a share of the work. Children's suggestions for reminding parents to pay, asking for more money, keeping track of finances, and repairing broken agreements round out the manual. A "Troubleshooting Guide," addressing specific problems; a brief resource list; and an account of how the children (and a few parents) were polled round out the guide. The writing style closely follows the consumer-friendly practicality of Zillions magazine, breezy vocabulary and all. The book is clearly written, and situations are described broadly enough for wide application; oversimplification is not a problem. Loony black-and-white cartoons add fun but no information to the text. There is a lot of new material here for those who are interested in a fair amount of detail. Steven Otfinoski's excellent The Kid's Guide to Money (Scholastic, 1996) offers just three pages on allowances before devoting more than 100 pages to other sources of income. With its popular but little-covered topic, logical organization, and attractive style, this book is well worth the investment.
Jonathan Betz-Zall, Sno-Isle Regional Library System, Edmonds, WA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-7. Students from across the country share their views on allowances, beginning with the pros and cons of regularly receiving money from parents. The Allowance Squad, made up of 166 students, ages 9 to 14, and their parents, explores the issues: how much, how often, linking an allowance to chores, saving and spending, and getting an increase. Nathan avoids advocating any single allowance plan. Instead, she offers lots of options and real life examples. The short sections of text are easy to read, and the cartoon illustrations provide comic relief to an issue that can turn into a battleground between kids and parents. The troubleshooting guide at the end of the book reinforces the concepts already presented and refers readers back to the text. A resource list and a description of the Allowance Squad are appended. Karen Hutt

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 86 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Co (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802786510
• ISBN-13: 978-0802786517
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 7.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,443,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Photo shows the author at age five, on a family vacation in Western Maryland.

For more information on Amy Nathan, author of nonfiction books for young people, please visit her Web site:

www.AmyNathanBooks.com

Books by Amy Nathan:

The Young Musician's Survival Guide
Meet the Musicians
Meet the Dancers
Yankee Doodle Gals
Count On Us
Surviving Homework
The Kids' Allowance Book
Take a Seat -- Make a Stand
Everything You Need to Know About Conflict Resolution
Round and Round Together: Taking a Merry-Go-Round Ride into the Civil Rights Movement

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, December 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Kids' Allowance Book (Paperback)

This book was amazing! I loved now I get a good allowance and am very happy Mrs. Nathan could write such a master peice! This book rocks you should read it too!