Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?
by Richard Maybury
Reviewed by Martha Robinson
Purchase details: Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? by Richard J. Maybury. 2004 edition, paperback, $14.95. A Bluestocking Guide, Economics by Jane A. Williams. Paperback, $16.95. Published by Bluestocking Press. Please support HomeschoolChristian.com by buying this book from our Amazon affiliate link.
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?, Richard J. Maybury's first book in his "Uncle Eric" series, is an overview of Austrian or monetarist economics, as opposed to Keynesian economics usually found in today's texts.
Money supply is the heart of the discussion in this book. The author uses historical events about money to illustrate the concepts of inflation and recession. Beginning with ancient Rome and the actual clipping of coins, the story moves around the world through post World War II Germany to the stock market crash of 2001 in the United States. The effects of government controls, boom and bust cycles, and deficit spending are related to events while encouraging the reader to think of the future.
After summing up, Mr. Maybury continues in the second half of the book with more advanced topics. He alludes to his later book, Whatever Happened to Justice?, with a chapter on economic prosperity and natural law; and a lengthy list of countries with their stands on common versus civil law. The appendix includes a very large collection of miscellaneous "Beyond the Basics" graphs for consideration and research, additional reading, a glossary, and an index.
A Bluestocking Guide, Economics
This one hundred, twenty-six page guide begins with a set of introductory articles to allow the student to grasp the difference between "wants" and "needs" before starting Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? Reproducible work pages for each chapter, including definitions; essay, research, and discussion questions; activities; and additional articles follow. A final exam and answer key also are included. Other resources are an economic timeline from Rome to current times, a huge reading list, a movie list, and final project suggestions. The guide is available from the publisher, Bluestocking Press.
Recommendation: Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? is a concise introduction to economics. With its focus on the historical aspect of money, the book shows even the most skeptical student (or parent) that economics can be a fascinating topic, while also alerting the reader to today's economic situation and the somber realization that history repeats itself.
The Bluestocking Guide offers easy implementation of study in a homeschool environment. Written with ages twelve and up in mind, the guide would be suitable for a slightly younger child, especially if the family is looking to combine studies with multiple children. The economic timetable is particularly valuable to families studying history chronologically.
HomeschoolChristian.com resources related to this review:
Interview with Richard Maybury, author of the Uncle Eric books
Review of Economics, A Free Market Reader by Richard Maybury
Review of The Clipper Ship Strategy by Richard Maybury
Review of Uncle Eric Talks About Personal, Career, and Financial Security by Richard Maybury
Review of The Money Mystery by Richard Maybury
Review of Evaluating Books, What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This? by Richard Maybury
Review of Uncle Eric History books by Richard Maybury
Review of Whatever Happened to Justice? by Richard Maybury
Review of Are You Liberal, Conservative, or Confused? by Richard Maybury
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