The Story of Money

This prolific team tackles the advent of legal tender and a mini-history of economics in their latest picture book. The concept of barter is introduced and then shown evolving into the modern practice of trading money for goods and services. Currency's physical development is also chronicled, from Native American wampum to Spanish ``pieces of eight'' to various European precious metal coins and printed paper bills. Although the text contains a vast array of factoids, their presentation lacks style and excitement. The dry, straightforward sentence structure fails to illuminate this topic's potentially engrossing aspects. Giulio Maestro's detailed, historically accurate illustrations, rendered in muted pencil, watercolor and crayon, prove serviceable without adding much spark. This volume will be useful in classrooms and libraries for its noteworthy effort to place a concept within historical contexts. Ages 7-10. (Mar.)