The Dollar Kids - a review

The Dollar Kids

by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Illustrated by Ryan Andrews
Candlewick, 2018

After Lowen's friend is killed in a random shooting, he discovers an article describing a program in which families can apply to receive a home in a declining mill town for only one dollar.  Lowen is surprised when his family agrees to apply and is accepted into the program. It's a difficult transition. His father stays on in their old town of Flintlock to continue earning money, while Lowen, his older brother, younger sister, and mother work to fix up their dilapidated new home and get his mother's new family business up and running. Lowen hoped that the move would ease his mind after Abe's death, but life in Millville offers troubles of its own,

"Whereas Mum's shop was going to be a take-out place, the Busy Bee had around ten tables and a small bar.  A sign at the door advised them to seat themselves; they settled into the one remaining booth on the side of the room.  As they did, the noise level dropped to a whisper and all heads turned their way. If Dad were there, he'd probably wave to the onlookers or introduce the family to the people at the closest table. But that wasn't Mum's way. She dropped her eyes to the menu, willing others to be polite and look away.  Anneth pulled out her phone and began texting. Lowen reached to examine the bee-shaped salt and pepper shakers and wished for a moment that he hadn't complained about being hungry.

A man and a woman came in and, noticing that there were no booths left, resigned themselves to a center table. It didn't make sense, but Lowen felt like his family had sat down where they didn't belong."

The Dollar Kids touches on several themes including (but not limited to) moving, friendship, gun violence, grief, and perseverance, but it never gets bogged down and never feels forced. These things are merely part of a difficult period in the life of Lowen Grover's family. The story feels real and forces the reader to consider things from multiple points of view. There is often a rational motivation for behaviors that we might find hurtful or even inexplicable.

The setting and premise for the book is unique, but its best feature is Jacobson's storytelling format.  The book begins with a multi-page comic drawn by Lowen, a talented artist. (Artist Ryan Andrews created the comic artwork.) It is through the comic that we learn the circumstances of Abe's death.  Following the murder, Lowen refuses to draw. Later, as he comes to terms with life in Millville, he slowly begins to draw again and his comics appear sporadically in the latter half of the book. A letter and a final comic bring touching closure to a great story.

This is a tightly woven story, recommended by the publisher for ages 10-14. I thoroughly enjoyed it.


Due on a shelf near you in August!


A note from The Dollar Kids author Jennifer Richard Jacobson


An interesting note:

I believe that the offer is now expired, however, the town of Ollolai, Italy, recently sold homes for one euro, with similar restrictions to the ones that "the dollar families" experienced in Millville.  You can read about it on CNN Travel , "Your own Italian home for $1? You can buy it in Ollolai" (Note: CNN's site does contain annoying ads.)


My copy of The Dollar Kids was provided by the publisher at my request.  The Dollar Kids is on this month's Early Reviewers List from LibraryThing (deadline to request is March 26) .


Note: 
Revised 6/6/18 to correct typos

One Hen, etc.

Milway, Katie Smith. 2008. One hen: How one small loan made a big difference. Ill. by Eugenie Fernandes. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press.

Vacation is over and it's back to business...I have a canvas bag full of new books to look over. I'll start with One Hen.

One Hen is the true story of how a small micro-loan to a young African boy, Kojo, enables him to sell eggs, buy chickens, pay for school, go to college, and eventually become a successful businessman in his own community, helping others on his way to success.

Micro finance seems an unlikely subject for a picture book, however, One Hen does a fine job of introducing a complicated subject in an uplifting manner that children of many ages will understand. On the simplest level, the book may be read as a picture book to small children, employing only the large print text and colorful, busy, acrylic paintings. The large print text is only one line per double spread, and tells the story in a cumulative style, "This is the hen that Kojo buys with the loan he got. These are the eggs that Kojo sells from the hen he bought..."
Smaller print, enclosed in text boxes tells the story in more detail, " Slowly, slowly, Kojo's egg money grows. After two months he save enough to pay his mother back. In four months he has enough to buy another hen. Now Kojo can sell five eggs a week, and he and his mother have more to eat." Fernandes' artwork is busy, bright and cheerful, depicting life (even a poor life) in Ghana as colorful and purposeful.

The story is followed by a photo and biography of the real Kojo, a page listing suggestions of how children can help others in Kojo's situation, a listing of other people who have been helped by micro loans, and finally a glossary of unfamiliar African (calabash) and financial (profit) terms.

This is a book that may have a limited audience but it's worth checking out.