BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Billy likes to sleep in the afternoons, but it rains a lot on the Galápagos Islands. He visits the Selling Seal to buy an umbrella and finds out an umbrella costs 10 sardines. Billy doesn't have it, but the Seal lets him have the umbrella on credit - take it now, but pay 20 sardines in a month. Billy agrees, and works hard to pay off the loan - the next month, with the hard-caught sardines in hand, he chooses to buy something else rather than pay the loan, which will double again the next month. Each month, Billy chooses to buy something he wants right then, rather than paying the mounting loan. Even with his family helping him fish, Billy continues to buy more and more expensive items and fails to pay off the loan. Eventually, Billy is in over his head, and has to pay the consequences - Selling Seal calls the cops.
I loved that Billy had really good intentions, He worked so hard to pay back the loan every month, but just couldn't resist wanting the latest thing. Part of the "Money Tales" series, Billy the Borrowing Blue-Footed Booby is a great introduction to loans, debt, interest, and accountability. While 1200% is a crazy interest rate, Bair's message is easily understood. Her text is written in verse, helpful to a new reader, but also fun as a read aloud. I also loved Zhing's silly illustrations.
Lisa Librarian
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