Making Cents [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Keeler Robinson (Author), Bob Mcmahon (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 2008 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

How many nickels are in a quarter? Whose face is on the fifty-dollar bill? You'll find the answers to these questions and many more in this exuberant introduction to denominations, from the penny to the hundred-dollar bill. Catchy prose and illustrations that depict lots of different ways that kids can make money will help young readers appreciate what it takes to earn a buck.

Packed with information and insights into American money, this book will show readers how money earned can be transformed into something wonderful. Kid-friendly introduction to U.S. currency. Describes math equivalencies and gives insight into buying power. Teachers' Guide available at www.tricyclepress.com. Reviews"Promoting the rewards of hard work along with exposing readers to the look and uses of money, plus a bit of arithmetic, this makes salutary reading on more than one level."-Kirkus Reviews

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—This book introduces American coins and paper money in a clear and entertaining way. A group of children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds is hard at work earning money, saving, and planning for a neighborhood clubhouse. Readers see the purchasing power of the different coins and bills in terms of nails, screws, marking pencils, sandpaper, and other building supplies. They also view different ways that coins can be combined to equal a nickel, dime, quarter, dollar, etc. Children will have fun counting the coins and guessing what the next coin or bill will be. The text is well paced, and the layout is attractive, although occasionally busy. The colorful, average-quality, computer-generated cartoons have child appeal. The scanned images of coins and bills are accurate, and an author's note provides information about less-common currency and recent monetary changes. Although not a necessary purchase, libraries that need more age-appropriate books about money may want to consider this one, and teachers might find it a useful resource.—Barbara Katz, Parish Episcopal School, Dallas, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Publisher

* Kid-friendly introduction to U.S. currency.
* Describes math equivalencies and gives insight into buying power.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582462143
• ISBN-13: 978-1582462141
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 0.4 x 10.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,084,528 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #95 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Money

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children, August 15, 2008

By 

Yana V. Rodgers "econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making Cents (Hardcover)

A group of resourceful kids are saving up their pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and paper bills of various denominations in order to purchase supplies for a fabulous new project. Along the way, the kids describe to the reader the monetary value of different coins and bills, some interesting tidbits about the physical appearance of the currency, and examples of items of increasing value that can be purchased with the money. The cheerful illustrations and straightforward text will appeal to children who otherwise may object to a dose of math and economics. The helpful facts and clear presentation in Making Cents can readily empower children to learn about money and take their first steps toward gaining financial literacy.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good title for a good book, June 17, 2008

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making Cents (Hardcover)

Money, math and a children's book! Making Cents shows kids a side of math that will help them hear about, visualize and understand money.

What can a penny buy? What does a penny look like? How many nickels make up a quarter? How many quarters make a dollar? What is the smallest silver coin? Whose likeness is on the hundred dollar bill? So many questions-and Elizabeth Keeler Robins helps kids learn and understand the answers.

Making Cents is unique because there really aren't any children's books (that I'm familiar with) that talk about money-the facts and interesting but little known stories about U.S. currency. But Making Cents is more than giving information about money. Its shows kids how they can take the money they have and buy different things, and when they're done, they have something pretty special.

Bob McMahon's illustrations are attractive, but also lend themselves to those visual learners who must 'see' the process rather than just hear about the process.

Armchair Interviews says: A great book for schools and homeschoolers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Making Cents Makes Sense!, January 1, 2009

By 

Rhonda Phillips "ReadWrite!" (Blacksburg, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making Cents (Hardcover)

Making Cents certainly makes sense! This book explicitly teaches the `nuts and bolts' of our monetary coins and bills, while cleverly weaves a captivating story about five children who genuinely need to purchase nuts and bolts to build a community clubhouse. Elizabeth Keeler Robinson's premier book is one that every elementary teacher should have on his or her shelf. Not only does it teach about money, but I love seeing the ingenuity of the children as they figure out ways to earn money to build their clubhouse. Bob McMahon's illustrations are a perfect marriage to the prose poetry. Brilliant. Clever. A big thumbs up!