The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens

June 2, 1997
An investment guide from the creators of AOL's The Motley Fool.

January 1, 2001
This update of the Motley Fool's first book offers the same smart-aleck advice found on the Gardners' popular Web site and in their other books: "Dear Fool, you must ask yourself: Are this company's products likely to fulfill needs in the future even better than they did in the past?... Does management have the vision?... These are extremely difficult questions to answer. But to the best of your ability, you'll want to answer 'em." Their useful tips on researching stocks, avoiding scams and tuning out the Internet din will best be appreciated by those new to the series.

July 15, 2002
Budding tycoons and those with more worldly concerns will appreciate The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens: 8 Steps to Having More Money than Your Parents Ever Dreamed Of by David and Tom Gardner with Selena Maranjian. The editors of the Motley Fool Web site offer sound advice on everything from finding a job, investing in the stock market and avoiding financial pitfalls. "Take It from Me" and "Keep in Mind" sidebars offer brief advice from peers and the authors, respectively.

August 1, 2002
Gr 9 Up-The authors create plenty of appeal to teens with many references to current popular culture and a generally irreverent, sometimes self-mocking tone. All the while they dispense some decidedly old-fashioned advice: set goals, save, take advantage of compound interest by beginning young, etc. Organizing their advice into eight steps, they promise substantial rewards for following it, along with the dictates of common sense. For example, in step four, "Avoid Financial Blunders," they advise readers to refrain from smoking, gambling (including the lottery), get-rich-quick schemes, and "poor purchase decisions," but devote half the pages to the biggest problem affluent teens face, the "Credit Card Death Spiral." They do promote their own Web-based service, which readers can try out for free. With so many competing books on the market, the Gardners are wise to rely on their strengths: their well-known and well-established name in the investment-advice industry and their insouciant attitude. They provide more in-depth advice, in more attractive and effective language, than the standard works, such as Jay Liebowitz's Wall Street Wizard (S & S, 2000).-Jonathan Betz-Zall, City University Library, Everett, WA

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.