News & Media
Get Ready for Finance Literacy Month with These Children’s Books
Money may not be able to buy happiness, but it can buy snacks! Recently renamed to “National Financial Capability Month,” this economy-based observance is recognized each year in April to raise awareness about smart money management skills and financial literacy. Here are a selection of books that help teach financial skill and concepts!
Best friends Julian and Lucy are the same in some ways and different in others. Both love horror movies—and doughnuts! While Lucy likes sports, Julian likes to draw. And while Julian likes to save, Lucy likes to spend. But they both get a heaping helping of financial literacy in this early chapter book series that simply demystifies money matters. From budgeting to spending, from credit cards to gift cards, Dollars to Doughnuts tackles and explains big financial topics for kids.
Birthday Bling
By Catherine Daly, ilustrated by Genevieve Kote
When Lucy’s aunt gives her a card—the plastic kind—for her birthday, Lucy knows just the blinged-out sweatshirt to spend it on. She plunks the card down at the store, but, cringe, it comes up short! Wait, what’s the difference between a gift card and a credit card?
In this early chapter book designed to help kids decipher finance facts and fallacies, Lucy and her best friend, Julian, find out about the pros and cons of gift cards versus credit cards.
Batter Splatter
By Catherine Daly, ilustrated by Genevieve Kote
After a batter disaster, Julian and Lucy’s cooking class needs a kitchen cleanup, including a new paint job. Luckily, they have a plan to make things right—they’ll simply throw the bake sale of the century! But their sweet dreams dissolve like sugar when faced with the b-word: Budget. What is a budget and how are they ever supposed to stay within it? In this early chapter book designed to help kids decipher finance facts and fallacies, Lucy and Julian discover the ins and outs of budgeting.
Cash Stash (Coming August 27, 2024)
By Catherine Daly, ilustrated by Genevieve Kote
Julian has saved his pennies—and quarters and dollars—for ages. He keeps them in a safe place, at the top of the closet, behind his winter blanket in his trusty piggy bank, Wilbur. But now his mom, his dad, even his best friend, Lucy, who barely saves any money at all, says Wilbur isn’t safe enough. They want him to move his money to a bank! Will Julian keep Wilbur, or open a savings account? What’s the right thing to do?
Each read-aloud book in the Mouse Math series focuses on a single, basic math concept and features adorable mice, Albert and Wanda, who live in a People House. Entertaining fiction stories capture kids’ imaginations as the mice learn about money and lots of other math concepts. Over 3 million copies sold worldwide!
Albert Helps Out
By Eleanor May, ilustrated by Deborah Melmon
What could be better than a Captain Slime penny? Albert needs two quarters to use the library’s new penny-smashing machine. Luckily, Wanda has a great idea for how Albert can earn the money. Every Mouse Math title includes back matter activities that support and extend reading comprehension and math skills, plus free online activities. (Math concept: Counting money)
Math Matters series! With over 15 million books sold worldwide, this award-winning series of easy-to-read books will help young readers ages 5–8 approach math with enthusiasm. Great for fans of MathStart or Step into Reading Math.
Deena’s Lucky Penny
By Barbara deRubertis, illustrated by Joan Holub
Deena has a problem. Her mom’s birthday is coming, but she has no money to buy a present! How does a “lucky” penny help Deena?
Tightwad Tod
By Daphne Skinner, illustrated by John Nez
Tod likes nothing more than saving and counting his money. Then his brother Ernest gives him $20 and challenges him to spend it all in one day. Can Tod do it?
Project Popcorn
By Laura Driscoll, illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez
The Community Champs have an extra-special fundraiser this year—donating Thanksgiving dinners to families in need. William and Lizzie are on a mission to sell more popcorn tins than ever before!
Fair is Fair!
By Jennifer Dussling, illustrated by Diane Palmisciano
All the kids get bigger allowances than Marco. And they do fewer chores! It’s just not fair! How can Marco convince his Dad to give him the raise he knows he deserves?
The popular Social Studies Connects series links history, geography, civics and economics to kids’ daily lives. Featuring stories with diverse characters who face situations young readers can relate to, these books support reading and social studies skills including researching, inferring, comparing, and communication. An activity to stimulate curiosity about the world is included in each book!
No Money? No Problem!
By Lori Haskins, illustrated by Jerry Smath
Amy is dying to buy the latest, greatest video game, but with only fifty-two cents in her piggy bank, she’s out of luck. Or is she? (Social Studies Topic: Economics/Bartering)
Pet Peeves
By Sarah Willson, illustrated by John Nez
Dennis has a great idea for making money. But it won’t work unless he can get his bossy big brother to help out, and that’s no easy job! (Social Studies Topic: Economics/Free Enterprise)
Tara Pays Up
By Kirsten Larsen, illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye
Tara FINALLY saved enough money for the T-shirt kit—until she remembered the tax. What can she do? (Social Studies topic: Civics/Taxes)
Acting like an Earthling isn’t easy! Follow the adventures of Spork the alien in the How to Be an Earthling series. Each book covers a different character trait to help kids think about what they say and do.
Making money is easy! Jack gets two dollars to sweep the sidewalk, a dollar to take out recycling, five dollars to dust. Soon he’ll have enough to buy a special issue of his favorite comic book! Jack has it all under control, unlike Spork, who’s crazy for video games. But Jack forgot one thing. Making money may be easy. Keeping it is hard! Every How to Be an Earthling title includes fun back-of-book activities that build on story themes. (Character trait: Self-discipline)
