friday book review: alexander, who used to be rich last sunday

alexander, who used to be rich last sunday

by judith viorst

suggested reading level: 4-9

Anthony has two dollars and three quarters and one dime and seven nickels and eighteen pennies. nicholas has one dollar and two quarters and five dimes and five nickels and thirteen pennies. and alexander has bus tokens. grandma betty and grandpa louie gave alexander a dollar, which he was going to save for a walkie talkie. but saving money is hard especially for a kid tempted by bubble gum, a snake rental, a garage sale, and all kinds of other things to spend money on.

quickly alexander finds himself with nothing more than just bus tokens. 

the lesson of money management is made clear to young readers by watching alexander go from being rich to being poor. as alexander comes to realize, if you are absolutely positively going to save your money then you have to get money to save.

this was an instant hit at our house with sam.

sam loves money,

and he loves spending money.

any savings go out the window when the buying impulse strikes.

sam loves collecting stuffed animals. 

he can't go to a yard sale without aching for one.

i've tried every reasonable way to teach him about moderation, saving, and savoring what he already has.

lesson lost pretty much every time.

this book drove the lesson home.

he related to alexander at the yard sale when he was buying the stuffed bear.

sam saw himself,

and as soon as the book was over sam said "i'm going to save my money."

point made.

for now.

he requests this book over and over,

so maybe the lesson will stick.

it is certainly not an easy one to learn,

even as a grown up.