This is a primer meant for kids, but good for anyone on cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. This book attempts to explain how it works, why it’s useful, why it’s harmful, and concerns the public has about going to digital currency. I think the block chain portion of this book needs it own book, but overall it is a great way to learn about an emerging technology.

This is a great introduction to Cryptocurrencies as it has a glossary in the back and explains the pros and cons of computer currencies. It begins at the beginning of 2010 and goes to 2018 and the crash of Bitcoin. It introduces the concept of the Dark Web and makes the reader aware that this is where much criminal activity takes place on the internet, It explains mining and some of the equipment used without being overly technical. How money is lost is also explained. This book is hopeful that cryptocurrencies may be used in the future. While I am unsure. Middle grade readers will have a well written book to investigate this for themselves,

A Handy, Basic Guide

This is a very basic, brief guide to cryptocurrency, but it does a good job of introducing the concept of currency, and how cryptocurrency differs from the money technology, (paper money, checks, credit cards), with which we are most familiar.

There's a bit of history, a discussion of banking, and examples drawn mostly from Bitcoin. We progress to how cryptocurrency is beginning to appear in everyday life, and then a chapter addressing the challenges of widespread use of the technology, (hackers, dark web transactions, and so on). The book ends with speculation about the future of cryptocurrency. There's also a bit about blockchain, but I'm not sure you'd get much from that if you didn't already have some understanding of how blockchain works.

So, this seemed like a good, basic intro. It's clearly written, and the format is young reader friendly. Actually, it's a fine place to start for any newbie, because it introduces all of the concepts you need to recognize if you want to read further and deeper about cryptocurrency. (And the chatty sidebars cover a number of interesting little asides about the tech.) A nice find.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)