A Penny’s Worth, a kid’s look at money that most wish was history

The other day our youngest son wanted to cash in all of his coins for paper money. His pirate treasure chest was loaded with jangles and clinks from various coins bouncing together. I explained to him that if he goes to one of the machines that count it for him he’ll be charged, whereas if he counts it himself and goes to the bank, he’ll get all of the money. Of course, being 10 years old and wanting to see a machine do things, he opted for the first choice. A Penny’s Worth is an illustrated book that one hopes will be a historical relic within 10 years. A book on a penny, how quaint, remember when we had that copper-colored useless coin, we’ll all sit back and think. If there’s any justice in the world, A Penny’s Worth will sit alongside the book about Daylight Saving Time as things or concepts that once existed.

Having said that, A Penny’s Worth is an illustrated book that does address the elephant in the room. It starts out with a penny that’s just been minted. It rolls off of the line and feels like much more than it’s actually worth. The penny, thanks to being stuck to some gum, goes on a tour around town and is simply trying to find its jam. It tries the arcade, but immediately gets re-routed to the return slot.

It meets up with a dime and it can be used to purchase some penny candy. The penny is momentarily confused but is quickly given a history lesson that there used to be actual penny candy, that cost .01, but that now it costs more. Feeling even more aimless, the penny falls into the street and is convinced that it’s a forgotten, useless piece of history.

Thankfully for our penny, it catches a ride nearby to a child, who is standing near a fountain. This girl knows what to do when she sees a penny, she promptly makes a wish and tosses the wayward coin into the water.

A Penny’s Worth is a rhyming book that has the cadence and playful attitude that early elementary school kids will enjoy. There are lots of money puns, especially as the penny passes through the scents of the city. The pages are short enough for those kids that want to re-read it and it’s a great teaching tool for those young ages about the currency of the United States.

The final two pages of the book are presented at a slightly more advanced reading level with facts, as well as the history of the penny. Adults probably know that it costs almost double the face value of a penny. From a business perspective, it’s frustrating that something costs twice as much as it’s worth and the value of this thing will never appreciate. This is not a case of buying something at half off. It’s a supply and demand issue and aside from the fountain in the city center, there’s not any demand. I could grouse about the penny for paragraphs.

However, it’s on the aforementioned pages where the elephant is addressed. Canada stopped printing their penny. In the United States, the penny remains the most minted coin on an annual basis.

Back to the point of A Penny’s Worth. And that is, it’s a small piece of the American financial system that kids need to learn about and this book does so in an entertaining way for those kids through nine-years-old. The older folks who might want the penny banished to parts unknown will enjoy the book and look forward to the day when it’s a historical look back, instead of a book that teaches kids about money.

A Penny’s Worth is by Kimberly Wilson, with art by Mark Hoffmann, and available on Page Street Kids.

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