I started writing a little timeline of the Economic Crisis in the fall of 2008 for my Econ class...That project turned into a brief financial history of our country..which has recently turned into a 100 page book on the subject. Still not the last word on the subject, but certainly more than most of us ever wanted to know!
If you are looking for a deeper understanding of how we got here...This book would help you out.
If you are looking for an Economic non-textbook for your highschooler, this book would also help you out.