The Not-So-Great Depression: In Which the Economy Crashes, My Sister's Plans Are Ruined, My Mom Goes Broke, My Dad Grows Vegetables, and I Do Not G

by Amy Goldman Koss

Book Overview

The author of the acclaimed "Poison Ivy" and "Side Effects" delivers a timely, warmhearted novel about life in hard economic times. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596436131
• ISBN13: 9781596436138
• Release Date: May 2010
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Length: 266 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 11 to 15 years
• Grade Range: Grades 6 to 10

Customer Reviews

A fun read about a not so fun subject

The author has done something great here in that she has turned the drama facing a lot of American families right now into an enjoyable read appropriate for ages 11 and up. She has created characters that are extremely likeable and even though not all kids will be able to relate to their lifestyle of private pools, nannies and housekeepers, all will probably be able to identify with Jacki and her family's struggle to accept a life that doesn't include having everything they want. All the characters are fully developed and I really enjoyed the realistic family interactions. Jacki is an optimist and I think her naivete is a pretty realistic picture of kids her age and their lack of understanding of real world economic concepts. Her older sister Brooke seems to be hit hardest by the family's trouble and her struggles with coming to terms with the changes in her future were one of the best parts of the book. This is a great fun read - Jacki is a lovable character that keeps you turning the pages just to find out what she's going to do next. Great fiction usually has a lesson or two to teach as well as entertatain the reader and this one succeeds in doing both. A big recommend, especially for ages 11-15.

Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children

Up until the day when their mother lost her high-powered job, Jacki and her siblings had enjoyed a pampered lifestyle: private schools; a fancy car; a large house with a pool in a posh neighborhood; restaurant and takeout meals; a housekeeper, gardener, and driver; and an abundance of clothing, gadgets, and toys. All these perks slowly started to unravel as it became increasingly clear that Mom's various job interviews were not translating into a job offer, the value of their financial investments would continue to tank, and opportunities for loans were drying up faster than the weather. As an eternal optimist, Jacki typically saw the brighter side of her family's regular progression to economize. She had always hated those piano lessons, switching to public school meant that maybe she could go to school with cute Adam B., and new household rules for home-cooked meals seemed to be revealing cooking skills she never knew she had. But even her positive attitude could not diminish the tensions in her household or the hardships that people she knew were experiencing as a result of the great recession. Chock-full of economic principles, The Not-So-Great Depression helps middle-grade readers better understand the causes of the recent financial crisis and some of the outcomes for families experiencing job loss. Because the story is cloaked in humor, innocence, and teen-age angst, it will draw and entertain readers who would otherwise avoid a novel about economic recession like the plague.