Cons, charisma, and clever storytelling.
Arriving in Boston in 1903, Charles Ponzi arrived from Italy dressed like a man with money to burn, but he’d already gambled away his last cent.
This lively account from award-winner Day follows Ponzi’s path from penniless dreamer to millionaire con man and, ultimately, the namesake of one of the most infamous types of scams around. International reply coupons, created to provide return postage between correspondents in different countries, became Ponzi’s ticket to riches when post–World War I exchange rates made them temporarily cheaper in Europe than their U.S. redemption values. He envisioned buying coupons overseas and cashing them in for profit but soon discovered an even bigger opportunity: convincing investors to give him their money. A Ponzi scheme pays the earlier investors with money from newer ones, creating the illusion of profitable investments—until the flow of new money dries up, and the whole thing collapses. And collapse it does. Day deftly weaves together the beautiful mechanics of Ponzi’s con and other notorious schemes throughout history. The witty text makes complex financial fraud relatively accessible, while conversational chapter titles, second-person asides, and expert scene-setting keep readers engaged. Helquist’s expressive black-and-white illustrations, which are peppered throughout, show characters in a vintage style reminiscent of historical newspaper illustrations. Though the narrative drags in parts, its rip-roaring moments make this a fascinating introduction to the art (and audacity) of the con.
Cons, charisma, and clever storytelling. (sources, notes, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2027
ISBN: 9798217120260
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality.
An examination of the history of Chinese American experiences.
Blackburn opens with a note to readers about growing up feeling invisible as a multicultural, biracial Chinese American. She notes the tremendous diversity of Chinese American history and writes that this book is a starting point for learning more. The evenly paced narrative starts with the earliest recorded arrival of the Chinese in America in 1834. A teenage girl, whose real name is unknown, arrived in New York Harbor with the Carnes brothers, merchants who imported Chinese goods and put her on display “like an animal in a circus.” The author then examines shifting laws, U.S. and global political and economic climates, and changing societal attitudes. The book introduces the highlighted people—including Yee Ah Tye, Wong Kim Ark, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, and Vincent Chen—in relation to lawsuits or other transformative events; they also stand as examples for explaining concepts such as racial hierarchy and the model minority myth. Maps, photos, and documents are interspersed throughout. Chapters close with questions that encourage readers to think critically about systems of oppression, actively engage with the material, and draw connections to their own lives. Although the book covers a wide span of history, from the Gold Rush to the rise in anti-Asian hate during the Covid-19 pandemic, it thoroughly explains the various events. Blackburn doesn’t shy away from describing terrible setbacks, but she balances them with examples of solidarity and progress.
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality. (resources, bibliography, image credits) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780593567630
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
A powerful resource for young people itching for change.
Soccer star and activist Wambach adapts Wolfpack (2019), her New York Times bestseller for adults, for a middle-grade audience.
“YOU. ARE. THE. WOLVES.” That rallying cry, each word proudly occupying its own line on the page, neatly sums up the fierce determination Wambach demands of her audience. The original Wolfpack was an adaptation of the viral 2018 commencement speech she gave at Barnard College; in her own words, it was “a directive to unleash [the graduates’] individuality, unite the collective, and change the world.” This new adaption takes the themes of the original and recasts them in kid-friendly terms, the call to action feeling more relevant now than ever. With the exception of the introduction and closing remarks, each short chapter presents a new leadership philosophy, dishing out such timeless advice as “Be grateful and ambitious”; “Make failure your fuel”; “Champion each other”; and “Find your pack.” Chapters utilize “rules” as a framing device. The first page of each presents a generalized “old” and “new” rule pertaining to that chapter’s guiding principle, and each chapter closes with a “Call to the Wolfpack” that sums up those principles in more specific terms. Some parts of the book come across as somewhat quixotic or buzzword-heavy, but Wambach deftly mitigates much of the preachiness with a bluff, congenial tone and refreshing dashes of self-deprecating humor. Personal anecdotes help ground each of the philosophies in applicability, and myriad heavy issues are respectfully, yet simply broached.
A powerful resource for young people itching for change. (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-76686-1
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
