Title: Mr. Sam: How Sam Walton Built Walmart and Became America's Richest Man
Author: Karen Blumenthal
Publisher: Viking Press
Publication Date: July 7, 2011
This is the story of Sam Walton, the man who started the business that makes $800,000 a minute. But Sam wasn't always wealthy; when he was in grade school, he milked cows and sold magazines door-to-door to help his family survive during the Depression.
Starting off as a recent college graduate working for $75 dollars a week at J.C. Penny, Sam began to understand new things about business, such as the essence of discounting and selling in bulk.
After marrying Helen and serving state-side during WWII, Sam Walton bought a small five-and-dime store in a small town. Even in the face of adversity, Sam did not ever give up. He would one day own both Walmart and Sam's Club and be known worldwide.
Positive Elements: Throughout the book, readers see Mr. Walton being a leader in various ways, from his high school football team to his family to his business efforts. Sam wisely listens to others' advice and concerns, including his wife, Helen, and his father-in-law. Helen is presented as a wonderful mother. Sam Walton teaches his children to be frugal at early ages. Sam hired black workers even when it was not popular in the 1950s and 60s and others mocked him for it. Walton says of money, "It's paper, anyway. It was paper when we started, and it's paper afterward." Helen is quoted as saying, "It isn't what you gather in life; it's what you share that tells the kind of life you lived." Sam keeps his head high in the midst of fighting cancer.
Extra tidbits of information are strewn throughout the book in the form of short stories, such as how the shopping cart came to be and a brief biography of J.C. Penny. Pictures from Sam Walton's personal and corporate life are spread throughout the text. There are also "Our Money" charts that explain different concepts about money from the days of the Depression through today. For example, there is a graph of how money would have been spent on average in a typical family at the end of each chapter to show how spending has changed.
Negative Elements: In the first chapter, the author discusses what is important to Sam Walton. She states, "Money might not be that meaningful to him, but winning certainly was." While there is nothing wrong with winning, there is a large emphasis on this theme throughout the book, to the point where parents may wish to discuss how there are sometimes things that are more important. At one point in order to win, Sam was paying his employees less than minimum wage.
Also, Sam Walton's home life growing up wasn't the best one, with his parents fighting constantly. This isn't dwelt on within the book, just mentioned.
The word "damned" is included in a quote in the third chapter. "Ass" is used in chapter five. "Heck" is found in chapter six.
There is a quote of a sexual nature about selling women's lingerie in chapter four.
Parents may or may not agree with the political views expressed in the Epilogue when discussing the more recent lawsuits that Walmart has faced or causes to which they have donated money.
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This book would be great as an addition to an economics course for a middle grade or high school student. In the book's conclusion, young people are encouraged to aspire to their own business pursuits and live frugally and selflessly no matter how much money they may acquire. How much do you know about the biggest company in the world and the man behind it?
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Title: 
My grandmother's copy of 
is just about as tattered as the copy of 
Some of my favorite books as a kid were written by Dr. Seuss and his friends. P.D. Eastman, author of 
, was one of Dr. Seuss' friends during WWII when they made informational war cartoons together for the soldiers. Several of P.D. Eastman's books are long forgotten, now, but they are some of the cutest books around. 
Once upon a time, a boy did a very bad thing. Even though it was a secret and no one else knew about it, he felt awful...
by author and illustrator Jeannie St. John Taylor is a great book for several reasons. First and foremost, it teaches that love is unconditional and is not earned by doing. It's a great book to read aloud with your younger ones to reassure them that you will always love them no matter what they do. Another plus about this book is the fact that the "very bad thing" is never defined as the little boy whispers what was so bad in his mother's ear. Every child is bound to come to a place in their life where they feel that their actions ostracize them from love. By the omission of what the "very bad thing" was, the author allows children to fill in the blanks and opens up opportunities for discussion. The illustrations do a great job of helping to carry the mood of the book and are colorful throughout. In the Kindle edition, the words are integrated into the pictures rather than being placed opposite the picture--something that shows good taste on the part of Abingdon Press.
On the day of the Disgusting Sneaker Contest, Phoebe Eastwood, last year's champion, walked into the Brown Detective Agency. She had on shoes. 
had some of my favorite mysteries. I read it more than once as a kid, even though I already knew the answers. You just get a good feeling when Encyclopedia beats Bugs Meany once again!
On Sunday afternoon, Encyclopedia received the treat of treats. He went with his father on a real police case. Clarence Heiden had reported a pair of valuable bookends missing. He had asked Chief Brown to investigate the theft personally...
, the boy detective goes on adventures that have made the series bestsellers for years. On March 23, 2011, Yearling published a Kindle edition. Lively drawings by Gail Owens illustrate ten cases that Leroy Brown (Encyclopedia) solves, all while invites readers to decipher each puzzle in their own mind. In the title story, odd handprints will make a wheelchair-bound guest a suspect in the theft of his host's valuables. But leave it up to Encyclopedia to recognize the red herring, absolve the innocent, and make a true accusation against the culprit. 
Desmoana came to the front door herself. "What do you want?" she demanded, giving Pablo an unfriendly look.
by Donald J. Sobol is a good choice for critical thinkers or for getting children to start problem-solving. Each short mystery is full of clues that make solving the mystery with Encyclopedia Brown a ton of fun.
One Monday night Chief Brown sat at the dinner table, staring at his plate of spaghetti. So far he hadn't slurped up a single strand. Encyclopedia and his mother knew the reason. 
by Donald J. Sobol. Parents will remember these stories and the fun in solving the mysteries right along with Encyclopedia. Answers to each case are found in the back of the book.
To a visitor, Idaville looked like an ordinary seaside town. It had churches, two car washes, and three movie theaters. It had bike paths, sparkling white beaches, a synagogue, and plenty of good fishing spots. 
, Donald J. Sobol gives readers ten new mysteries to solve with the ten-year-old crime-solver of Idaville. His real name is Leroy, but only his parents and teachers call him that. Everyone else knows that his brain is more full of fact than a reference book, and they fondly call him Encyclopedia.
Released on April 1, 2011 by Amulet Books, 
by Troy Howell is one of the best middle grades novels I've read in a long time! While written for ages 9-12, this book would also be a perfect family read-aloud. Troy Howell is the cover illustrator for the bestselling Redwall series by Brian Jacques.