She’s on the Money

Gr 2-4–This illustrated nonfiction book looks at the women chosen to appear on coins or bills both past and present. Fifteen women from around the globe are highlighted. Each woman is featured in a spread, with illustrations and a few paragraphs that highlight the contributions that landed her on the money. This book may pique students’ interest in a particular subject and make them want to go to other sources to learn more. In addition to women such as Cleopatra and Helen Keller, the book also includes the symbolic female figures of Britannia and Lady Liberty. This volume is great for learning tidbits about the topic, but a more substantial book would be needed for any type of research. The large amount of information does not make it ideal for reading aloud unless teachers choose to share only a few pages at a time. The colorful illustrations do a good job of showing the money the women were featured on as well as portraits of the women. A glossary is included.