Eun-Jeong Jo

This book is listed as a book for young readers, but I believe the concepts being introduced are more geared to older students. This is a story about the first "bank" in Siena. Enzo and his father are in Siena for a festival. Grandfather Whiskers sits at a table, called a banco, and gives people money in exchange for signing a paper, exchanges money, and accepts money on deposit for safe keeping. When Enzo convinces his father to buy a toy for his little brother, he takes it to Grandfather Whiskers to hold onto for him, but he loses the paper that he was given in order to claim it back. What will he do. Father explains to Enzo about the "bank" and at the back of the book there are many facts, details, terms etc. about the first banks, their development and present day banks. The story was cute and illustrations are very stylized, almost like jesters. The publisher provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.… (mehr)

My kids and I really enjoy books that educate while they entertain. This book does that in a very nice, pleasing way. It is a delightful story of a young boy whose situation leads him to discover and use one of the first banks in Italy during the Middle Ages. The story and the teaching pages at the back of the book helped us learn how banking started and advanced over the years. It gave us an opportunity to discuss what it would have been like before banks were in use and how much we have come to rely on them now that they are part of our every day life. The illustrations are lovely and unique and help tell the story well. This book does it's job well - we were entertained and educated!… (mehr)