The Kid Who Beat Wall Street: …And Saved Africa

Gr 4–7—It all happened because of a typo. Marco's name, which is the same as his father's except for the middle initial, was on the envelope from the brokerage firm. So Marco took advantage of the mistake to start trading stocks online. He quickly turned a handsome profit. At school he learns about the plight of people in Africa who are suffering from disease, lack of food, and the effects of war. Marco and his friends, along with their international virtual pen pals, discover a boy in Africa whose village is in need of help. Readers must suspend disbelief—Marco, a middle schooler, becomes adept not only in the workings of the commodity market and how to turn this knowledge into a huge profit but also in talking leaders of corporations into donating expensive equipment and shipping them overseas. There is also a sophisticated scheme to outwit thieves to get the supplies where they are needed. The story stalls occasionally as the author repeatedly stresses the need for humanitarian aid in Africa. The writing in volume one is much easier to read than that of volume two, where the author suddenly introduces more complex vocabulary. There are also many foreign words and trading terms, which may be unfamiliar to readers.—Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC