The Beloved Dearly written by Doug Cooney and illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi is a book about a boy names Ernie who can always in of a way to make money. Most of the ideas he dream up get him interviews with the school principal, however. Or serious ultimatums from his father, like the latest one—any more get-rich-quick schemes and Ernie will be grounded. This is a threat Ernie takes seriously. So he keeps his father in the dark about his newest entrepreneurial endeavor.
Ernie is a twelve-year-old tycoon, always on the lookout for a fast buck. This time he stumbles onto a money-making bonanza: pet funerals. He hires Dusty to decorate the burial boxes and Tony to dig the holes, but his prize find is Swimming Pool, a tomboy who delivers a crying jag not to be missed. Business goes through the roof-until Ernie loses Swimming Pool over a raise and the whole venture unravels. Here is a rollicking, fun spirited novel about friendship, loos, business-and how we learn to express our feelings.
Curriculum Connections
This book could be used as a reference when teaching SOL 3.9 which states that students will identify examples of making and economic choice and will explain the idea of opportunity cost(what is given up when making a choice).
Additional Resources
1. Learn more about the author, Doug Cooney and some of his other books.
2. The Pickle Patch Bathtub is a lesson plan used to teach the concept of opportunity cost.
3. This site defines opportunity cost and has questions and activities to help teach the concept.
Book: The Beloved Dearly
Author: Doug Cooney
Illustrator: Toni DiTerlizzi
Publisher: Aladdin
Publication Date: 2003
Pages: 192
Grade Range:3-6
ISBN: 0-689-83127-7