The penny doesn’t get a whole lot of respect these days. Aside from the fact that we have become a society that is highly reliant on credit cards, the poor penny is looked down upon for not being worth as much as other forms of currency. Randy Siegel has given the penny its day in the quirky and fun book, One Proud Penny.
Siegel takes us on the journey of a penny. Our particular narrator was born in Philadelphia in 1983. He has traveled all over the country and had many adventures, although at times his time days have been spent waiting in a jar or under a vending machine. Our narrator tells us how pennies have changed over the years and how long pennies usually stay in circulation. Readers also get a little lesson on Abraham Lincoln who graces the penny’s face.
My 6 year old thought that this book was incredibly fun and not only did she read it to herself, she told me that I had to read it and asked me to read it with her. When asked if she learned anything from the book, she responded that she learned that at one point pennies were gray (during WWII).
The back of this book functions like one in a non-fiction picture book, giving an interesting history on coins and pennies in particular – a lovely added bonus. As kids are learning about coins in kindergarten and first grade, this would make a great classroom addition.