ALA Booklist

This brightly illustrated picture book introduces the concept of money, first by looking at its development as an alternative to bartering and then by explaining the many forms of money, from primitive rocks, feathers, and metal lumps to the familiar coins and paper bills to alternatives such as checks, credit cards, and digital forms of payment. Adler does a particularly good job explaining the inconvenience of bartering through child-friendly examples such as "How would a baker trade for a house? How many loaves of bread would he have to trade? And why would anybody want so much bread?" Using flat colors and stylized designs, Miller's upbeat digital artwork helps to clarify points made in the text, while adding occasional bits of visual humor. Photos of coins and bills are incorporated where appropriate, and some children will want to pore over the page showing colorful foreign money. For young children, a fine introduction to the subject.

Horn Book

Why does everybody want money? And what did people do before it existed? This picture-book look at money is direct, concise, and surprisingly humorous. After discussing bartering and early forms of money, Adler compares the value of different currencies and touches on deflation/inflation. Throughout Miller's crisp computer-generated illustrations, Uncle Sam and others expand on the informative text.

Kirkus Reviews

If there is one thing that makes the Dismal Science a shade less dismal, it's money, as in currency. As Adler points out up front, "People want money because it can be used to buy things." Right, but as a thing in itself, it's pretty fascinating. Animals as money, rocks, feathers, salt, fishhooks, purple beads made from clamshells are all intriguing—including their drawbacks, like your money dying on you if it happens to be a donkey—as is Adler's elemental explanation of bartering and exchange and the gradual evolution of money from precious metal to artful paper to the woefully drab plastic and digital varieties. Adler is less successful trying to make sense of how money reflects value, explaining that when the cost of ice cream goes down a dollar may buy an extra scoop but not getting at what circumstances may cause this. Miller's flat, digital artwork is solid throughout, providing a cheery Uncle Sam as a guide with simple stylized images set to swaths of yeasty color, flowing easily with the narrative and surprisingly emotive. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3 Adler begins by asking young readers to imagine a world without money and the complications that would ensue. He then traces the history of our current monetary system, explaining early systems of bartering and the use of such things as rocks and feathers. Adler explains how the value of money fluctuates as prices go up and down and concludes with a discussion of digital money. One statement causes concern; the author states that "Checks and credit cards are money too, because they can be used to buy things." Regarding a credit card as money is irresponsible, and the two should not be equated. Miller's computer-generated illustrations are vibrantly colored if rather flat, but they do help to clarify and support some of the concepts and add some humor to the topic. The book will be useful as a starting point for units on money, but is otherwise an additional purchase. Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ