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Monday, March 2, 2009

Just how difficult is this to understand?


Today we started Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? in SL Core 5. While I admit that I have been looking forward to this book about as much as I tend to anticipate a nice long stay in the dentist's chair, I was pleasantly surprised at how readable and informative it is.

We finished chapter 1--which was about actual, physical money--and the kids begged for more. We ended up reading another chapter before I pulled the plug and sent them off for their daily rest time.

This is a book about economics. You remember economics, right? The high school class where you studied the desktop and wondered exactly what Shana did to deserve being slurred like that? My older children are 11, 8 and 7. The fact that they asked for more is huge, guys. They paid attention. They learned. They were intrigued.

Best of all, this book truly explains the economy. And hey, what's more timely than that? If you're confused by all of the discussion swirling about the economy, I highly recommend this as an adult read--SL Core not withstanding. Better yet: get it, then read it aloud with your children. Who knows? Maybe listening to Uncle Eric's take will create a generation of people less likely to repeat the mistakes of the recent past.

6 comments:

Deanna said...

I love the Uncle Eric books, especially this one! We pull this book out periodically. And yes, you'd think that Washington would understand the basics since our kids do, but that fake money just keeps calling their names. I wish my checkbook worked like a stimulus plan! ;-)

Kate said...

We're reading the book now too in Core 5 and I WAS NOT looking forward to it, but we love it. It all makes sense to me for the first time ever.

Anonymous said...

I've heard of this book. Thanks so much for the review.

Luke Holzmann said...

I'm so glad you're enjoying it! [smile]

~Luke

Susan said...

We loved this whole series. I can't wait for Ella to be old enough to work through it. Of course she's only four so we've got a ways to go. When Julia took econ in college she understood much better than any of her peers. The prof wanted to know about her high school (actually jr.high) class because she had such a good grasp on it.

Traci said...

We are loving this book as well. In fact we are behind in this book because dh wants to listen in from his downstairs office and he has had a busy two weeks. I think I shall put the littles to bed and read a chapter to the olders and dh tonight before lights out.