The Penny Pot (MathStart 3)

This is an excellent book for introducing math and money to your child. I like that the story teaches generosity when the child customers choose to leave their penny change for the next customer, but I also think parents should teach the value of saving pennies. Too often today, children will not even stoop down to pick up a penny on the street as if it is "not worth their time." Yet, at the same time as parents, we hear, "Mom, it's only a dollar!" or in worse cases: only $2, only $10 or only $20. The word "only" is what troubles me. Perhaps at the end of the story, at parent should emphasize, "Wow, look at what all those pennies added up to. Imagine if we saved all our pennies. Let's start a family penny pot." Along the same train of thought, I do like that little Jessie wonders right from the start if she should have spent her money on her ice cream cone. This introduces that money is indeed limited and we have to place "value" on each of our purchases. The pictures are absolutely adorable and there are helpful tips in the back for parents to continue introducing coins and counting with their child. With such an entertaining storyline, children will never know we are really teaching them some basic money values along with math.

This is the best book I could find about making change and learning about money for elementary students. It worked perfectly for a lesson I did with second graders. I let them work with partners with fake coins learning to add and subtract money. Buy this book! It is impossible for find good books on money and this is a good one.

This book was a great way to help children learn about different ways to make the same amount of money, in this case, the fifty cents needed to go to the face painting booth. The story offered several opportunities to practice counting coins, while using repeated, predictable text that is wonderful for early elementary readers.