Product Description

If You Made a Million

Have you ever wanted to make a million dollars? Marvelosissimo the Mathematical Magician is ready, willing, and able to explain the nuts and bolts -- as well as the mystery and wonder -- of earning money, investing it, accruing dividends and interest, and watching savings grow. Hey, you never know!

An ALA Notable Book A Horn Book Fanfare Selection A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Teachers' Choices Selection

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #85347 in Books
• Published on: 1994-11-15
• Released on: 1994-11-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 40 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780688136345
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
Author David M. Schwartz and illustrator Steven Kellogg, who teamed up for the jubilant How Much Is a Million, have returned to the subject of money in If You Made a Million. Marvelosissimo the Mathematical Magician and his team of cheerful kids (and their multitude of animal friends) wield dusters, brooms, plungers, shovels, and cement as they take on feeding fish, dusting ducks, painting pots, transplanting trees, building bridges, and babysitting ogres. For each job, they'll be paid an appropriate amount of money. But soon the questions arise--what does that much money look like, and how can it be spent, saved, or used to pay off a loan?

"One dollar is worth as much as FOUR QUARTERS or TEN DIMES or TWENTY NICKELS or ONE HUNDRED PENNIES," Marvelosissimo explains, and we witness all the coins, crowding the page. How many and how high a stack is $100 in pennies? Ten thousand of them, in a stack 50-feet high, teeter precariously near a phenomenal airport where the gates are reached via tightrope. Next, Marvelosissimo takes readers to the Bank--a huge edifice complete with red carpets, carved slogans ("Save" and "Be Wise"), and frog attendants--where he explains the concepts of interest and bank loans. Grown-up text brings up the rear of the book, providing additional information on banks, interest and compound interest, checking accounts, loans, and income tax. Throughout, Kellogg's illustrations--highly detailed with silly objects, people, and animals--will keep kids' attention, but the pictures never detract from Schwartz's message that "enjoying your work is more important than money," and "making money means making choices." (Ages 4 to 8) --Ericka Lutz

From Publishers Weekly
Sophisticated mathematical and financial concepts are difficult to teach, yet most children are fascinated by money. In a savvy follow-up to How Much Is a Million? Schwartz and Kellogg have succeeded in presenting money in terms that correspond to how children think. In a funny, accessible way, the team explores relationships between accomplishing tasks and earning payment, saving and spending, and other concepts including interest, the relative value of various denominations, writing checks and even financing a mortgage. Kellogg's typically humorous ink and watercolor drawings will compound reader interest while wittily reinforcing and expanding ideas. An author's note recaps the facts, including a history of money and banking, checks, loans, income tax, and the volume of money vs. its value. Splendid fare. Ages 6-10.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-- Earning, spending, saving and borrowing money are the subjects explored in this sequel to How Much is a Million? (Lothrop, 1985) . Aided by Ancona's clear photographs of various denominations of money, Schwartz explains economic concepts verbally, while Kellogg fancifully and humorously illustrates them. "Cheerful and Willing" children perform varied chores for Marvelosissimo the Mathematical Magician, who suggests options for using their earnings. As the tasks become more difficult (babysitting an obstreperous ogre, for example) pay increases and options widen. The usual Kellogg profusion of smiling cats, earnest dogs, prancing ponies, and a unicorn fill and spill over the pages. Ideal for classroom use by creative teachers, and attractive enough to keep the interest of even non-mathematically inclined readers, this is sure to be popular. These concepts are more complex than those in Schwartz' previous book, however, and will be best suited to slightly older readers. This is one investment that's sure to pay interest in reader dividends. --Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

It teaches children about money.
The illlustrations are fun. The text talks about situations to which kids can relate. The book gives some good lessons about money and how to use it. Yet, the book never bogs down. Children find it interesting and fun.

If You Made A Million
I strongly think you should read this book because it is funny. It has a wizard that does magic and he helps kids learn how to save their money. You should extremely like this book because the kids make things and they get money. They also babysit a giant baby for one thousand dollars. A boy makes a bridge and they do their chores. They also do incredible things.

If You Made a Million
Looking to make some money? If you're a cheerful and willing helper, Marlen the magician will gladly take you on and show you jobs; from feeding fish to taming ogres and how much money you can make doing them. This book will take you on a mathematical adventure in making money and earning interest.
This is a great book for kids 4-6 who want to read picture book or even older kids who want to know how interest and banking works. Older readers can just refer to the back where author David Schwartz explains the math behind the book. This book also features great pictures with a colorful star border all around.
All in all, If you Made a Million is an awesome book about banking and money and was one of my personal favorite books in kindergarten.
If you like this book, then you might like How Much is a Million also by David Schwartz.