Twenty-two Cents

Review
By Booklist

In this illustrated take on the unusual topic of microcredit banking, Yoo and Akib bring to life the remarkable work of Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank. The account begins with Yunus’ birth in Chittagong, India, in 1940, and moves chronologically through his education in Bangladesh and the U.S., the founding of the bank in 1977, and his Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Threaded through the narrative are glimpses of the moments that sustained and inspired him: his father’s advice to “learn from the world,” the shocking poverty he saw all around him, political activism, and the potential he recognized in the determination and integrity of working women. Akib’s pastel illustrations are at once impressionistic and realistic. The rich, light-infused colors brighten this biography just as Yunus’ work brightens the lives of real women and families whose destinies have been transformed. Best suited for a middle-grade audience, this eye-opening picture book provides an affecting look at how simple ideas can change the world.