Description
Around the world, people are questioning consumerism, leaning toward more sustainable lifestyles and creating a whole new concept of wealth.
Until a few hundred years ago, people were embarrassed to buy bread in a store. Families took pride in making almost everything they owned. These days, many people take pride in buying as much as possible! New clothes, a speedier bicycle, the latest phone. If we've got money, someone can sell us a product that will supposedly make our lives better. But each year, humanity uses resources equivalent to nearly one and a half Earths, and we're still not meeting everyone's needs.
What if you could meet all your needs while getting to know your neighbors and protecting the environment at the same time? Find out how growing a tiny cabbage can fight poverty, how a few dollars can help ten families start their own businesses and how running errands for a neighbor can help you learn to become a bike mechanic—for free!
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 9 to 12
- Grade:
- 4 to 7
- Reading age:
- 9 to 12
Awards
- , Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Award
- Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection
- Commended, The Nature Generation Green Earth Book Award - Honor Book
- Commended, Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard Selection
Editorial Reviews
"An important and accessible book for growing communities."
— Booklist
"Timely and engaging."
— Canadian Children's Book News
"Its important message makes it a solid addition for group debates on social and environmental change."
— School Library Journal
"Ambitious in scope and mission...valuable in its illustration of alternative models of commerce."
— Kirkus Reviews
"The language is simple enough for younger readers to understand without oversimplifying the topics. Parents and other adult readers will probably be able to learn something new from this book too! The book also presents readers with activities that they can do and organizations that they can learn more about, allowing kids to help solve some of the problems mentioned in this book. Overall, Pocket Change is a surprisingly radical book which encourages kids to question why we live the way that we do, and empowers them to make a difference!"
— Resource Links
