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

From School Library Journal Grade 1-3-"Clink. Clink. Clink. Clink. Clink, clink, clinkity! Money saved in a bank makes your brain think-thinkity!" Pete's saving his coins in a jar. He's got 10 quarters, 7 dimes, and 6 nickels that he sets out before him on a table, so that he (and readers) can easily count them. His total comes to $3.50. He wants to buy a toy and finds a dinosaur that costs $3 plus 20 cents tax. He returns home happy with his purchase, but saddened to realize that his bank is almost empty until his dad tells him he can earn more money by cleaning the yard and his mother gives him his allowance. This simple introduction to adding and subtracting small amounts of money will delight and inform young readers. The rhyming story covers the math as well as the concepts of earning, saving, and spending. A concluding section called "More Stuff" wraps up the book nicely with information about coin rubbings, ways to earn money, charitable giving, and a host of fun facts (like the origins of the name "piggy bank"). Bright cartoon art adds to the enjoyment. Ziefert and Haley know exactly how to make learning fun.