Judith Viorst

Although Alexander and his money are quickly parted, he comes to realize all the things that can be done with a dollar.

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday

Sarah Sammis

I read the first of Judith Viorst's Alexander books to my son when he was an infant. He went on to discover other books in the series. His most recent discovery is Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday.

The book opens with Alexander lamenting the fact that he has no money. As the story unwinds, he explains why he has no money. Since last Sunday he has spent his money on all sorts of frivolous things.

As the book was written in the late 1970s, the amount of money has on Sunday is quite small. Children today might be surprised by how little Alexander has. The specific prices mentioned make the book feel more dated than Alexander and the Terrible No Good, Very Bad Day.

It's still though a good starting point for discussing money and the different sorts of coins and bills there are. Since Alexander was given a dollar on Sunday, children can also be asked to keep track of how Alexander spends his money to practice subtraction.

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday

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