Arkadiusz Blazyca’s motivation for writing his new children’s book The Valley of Prosperity is to enlighten readers about the power of being able to choose, as he states in the author’s note in his book:
“Money is not just a way to exchange things; it also determines the quality of our lives. Remember, no matter what currency the rulers may offer, we, the free people, have the power to decide which currency we want to use and save.”
Blazyca told Cointelegraph that knowledge is the key to prosperity, so education about good money is a must to be included in the home curriculum.
And while the book is intended for children 6 years and older, adults may also find it a valuable resource.
The book aims to explain Bitcoin (BTC) and its relevance in 57 pages with a friendly dragon theme, illustrated by Ewelina Oleksiak.
The ascent of Bitcoin
While Bitcoin has only existed since 2008, the concept of money has existed for thousands of years. Historians’ records show the first coin is from the 7th century BC, and the first paper money was created around 1020 AD.
Understanding what Bitcoin is and its potential significance for the future of society is a challenging task, and vibrant debates have emerged regarding its purpose and efficacy. The struggle is understandable; if adopted, it could change how people understand money.
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The Valley of Prosperity explains all the elements needed to reach Bitcoin’s final destination, from the origin of money and the idea of the double-coincidence of wants to the creation of the gold standard and its replacement with fiat currencies, as well as the value of the anonymity of Satoshi Nakamoto and the importance of decentralization.
Dragons and the significance of money
The Valley of Prosperity is set is a prosperous valley that has a beloved king who rules its land not for himself but for the people.
The society of this joyful setting is inhabited by friendly dragons, which resemble Falkor from The NeverEnding Story.
The inhabitants of the prosperous valley live happily under King Invictus’ honest rule as he introduces the concept of a currency that is backed by gold (only after several trials with less convenient goods like salt and cows.)
The dynasty’s continuance was guaranteed by two sons, one honorable and the other evil and lazy.
A dark era begins as the evil son, Loufer, takes over. The new king prints money that is not backed by gold and quells dissent regarding his new monetary policy with 71 guards commanded by General Nixon — a none-to-subtle reference to U.S. President Richard Nixon taking the U.S. dollar off of the gold standard in 1971.
Hyperinflation plagues the kingdom and Blazyca includes a section in which Loufer controls his populace with a central bank digital currency (CBDC) — a common criticism of CBDCs in the crypto community.
Amid this turmoil, a wise anonymous figure introduces Bitcoin as a solution to the chronic inflation of the current corrupted money.
Children may need adult guidance
Although the author intends to summarize the story of the origin of money, the book may be too long, depending on the child’s reading skills. At times, the book seems to convey the origin of money rather than explaining what Bitcoin is.
While the charming dragon theme and vivid illustrations provide an engaging backdrop, some children may find it challenging to follow the intricacies of the monetary world as presented in the text.
Adults will likely need to assist young readers of The Valley of Prosperity. Even if Blazyca tries to transform complex topics into an easy-to-read tale, complicated terminologies are unavoidable.
A ledger, inflation, digital money, etc., may be hard to grasp for a child of 6 to 10 years old. Without support from a grownup, they could disengage from the story.
If explained thoughtfully, the complex vocabulary could present a valuable opportunity for meaningful discussions between parents and children.
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Parents could use the book as an introduction to the history of money. Yet, if they intend to use it as a guidebook of what Bitcoin is, it may be insufficient. The book could add some practical Bitcoin use cases to help explain its positive aspects.
The Valley of Prosperity is a recommendable book for any parent looking for a fun way to explain Bitcoin and the history of money to their kids.
Adults may also enjoy this read as it summarizes the history of money and the arrival of Bitcoin, which even many grownups may not be able to do properly.