Money Math: Addition and Subtraction

Gr 1-3--George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and many other important historical figures star in this introduction to U.S. currency and basic arithmetic. The book opens on a band of fictional kids perusing items in a gift shop, but readers are told before any purchases can be made, the value of money must first be understood. The narrative then segues into a breakdown of the differences among the various bills and coins with commentary provided by cartoon renditions of Franklin D. Roosevelt ("My portrait is on the dime."), John F. Kennedy ("I encouraged America to travel to the moon."), and so on. Students are then tasked with using this knowledge to practice adding and subtracting. The sample problems increase in difficulty as the book progresses--speech bubbles from the characters provide extra guidance and a source of humor. VERDICT Recommended for general purchase for nonfiction collections; this title is a fun way to introduce addition, subtraction, and currency.--Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country Public Library, NY