Ox-Cart Man

Donald Hall

This simple, slow-moving picture book gives young readers a cyclical example of making, selling, and buying goods. A father loads his ox cart with the family’s products and travels to a New Hampshire city. There he sells their goods, including wool, brooms, potatoes, maple sugar, and goose feathers. He also sells the ox and cart, enabling the farmer to purchase needed supplies and tools for a new year. He rewards the family’s labor with a treat: peppermint candy. Beautifully illustrated by Barbara Cooney, this 1980 Caldecott winner showcases the focus on work and family that typified America in the 19th century.

The Great Brain

John D. Fitzgerald

Tom and his “great brain” contrive numerous moneymaking schemes, often involving swindling or cutting deals with other boys, especially his gullible little brother “J.D.,” who narrates the story. Each chapter follows the boys into some venture, with Tom often saving the day and making a small profit, causing his father to wonder if he has “a cash register for a heart.” Set in the late 19th century, this is the first in a humorous eight-book series. It emphasizes helping others over profitable gain. Fitzgerald bases his stories loosely on his own upbringing as a Catholic in a small, predominantly Mormon, Utah town.

What Do People Do All Day?

Richard Scarry

“Everyone is a worker,” Scarry’s crowded and colorful picture book begins. Little children will enjoy turning large pages to learn the basics of how an economy works. In 11 short sections, Scarry describes common ventures—growing and selling food, mailing letters, building houses, and putting out fires—allowing curious children to see the processes involved and how various workers rely on each other. The book features familiar “Busytown” characters like Doctor Lion and Farmer Alfalfa. Scarry wrote the book in 1968: Some jobs are outdated since technology has altered them, and women now fill many professional roles, but parents can easily discuss these changes.

The Tuttle Twins and the Road to Surfdom

Connor Boyack

In the fifth book of a series, the Tuttles head to their favorite beach only to find clogged traffic, blocked roads, and closed shops. With help from their reporter uncle, twins Ethan and Emily discover that a new, voter-approved highway designed to alleviate traffic has worsened it. Based on free market economist F.A. Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom, this story by Mormon libertarian Boyack teaches early readers economic principles and the unintended consequences of government intervention. Parents will appreciate the book’s glossary—it defines terms like collectivism, eminent domain, and central planning.

Afterword

Some young adult readers are ready for more meaty economic lessons. Robert P. Murphy’s Lessons for the Young Economist (Mises Institute, 2010) provides a comprehensive introduction to free markets and Austrian economics as it describes “how people make exchanges.”

This textbook lacks visual appeal but compensates through engaging writing and readability. It breaks down “macro” topics like socialism, inflation, and the stock market into individual choices and preferences. Parents may object to Murphy’s chapter criticizing drug regulations.

Another worthwhile book has been around for a while: Originally published in 1989, Richard J. Maybury’s Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? (Bluestocking Press, 2015) is now in its seventh edition. Taking the persona of “Uncle Eric,” the author fields questions in short letters to his fictitious nephew “Chris.” Maybury’s clear writing and historical examples will help readers grasp topics like the federal debt, the origin of money, and even the 2008 recession. —M.J.