Children and teens are the future of our world.
Reading is one of the most important skills children learn, not only for navigating the world today but also because it is a source of learning and entertainment no matter what their age.
They have more to lose when it comes to money than any other age group, yet they don’t know how to manage their finances.
Here are the 10 books that will teach your children about financial planning in a fun way!
The Berenstain Bears Trouble with Money by Stan and Jan Berenstain
This book is a sweet story from the perspective of two younger siblings, which can be read aloud or shared by an early reader. The book tackles the idea of being born into circumstances where you do not have enough money to buy what you want.
Curious George Saves His Pennies by H.A. Rey
Written for children and teens alike, Curious George allows readers to balance the challenge of saving for a goal while having colourful adventures.
Brock, Rock, and the Savings Shock by Sheila Bair and Barry Gott
Brock, Rock, and the Savings Shock takes the idea of compound interest, and makes it accessible to children with clever rhyming and beautiful illustrations. The focus is on twin brothers who live together. One brother spends his money on momentary impulses while one saves his money for many years until he has an entire fortune thanks to compounding.
The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric and Jean Edelman
The Squirrel Manifesto is a beautifully illustrated book that captures the fable of the grasshopper and ant with gentle humour in which a squirrel saves resources for winter to come.
Lunch Money by Andrew Clements
Lunch Money tells the story of two entrepreneurial children who form an unlikely friendship in which they both learn to work together and discover that fear has little in common with following your passion.
How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000
This isn’t like the other selections in this book, but its title is turning heads and could be an excellent option for teens who are beginning to have somewhat expensive tastes.
Money Hungry
Exploring the struggle of money and identity, Money Hungry tells a story about a 13-year-old girl who seems to be obsessed with money and obsessively looking for ways to earn some cash. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that she is driven by fear of poverty and memories from when she wasn’t able to afford things like clothes or food.
Katie Bell and the Wishing Well by Nephi and Elizabeth Zufelt
Katie Bell and the Wishing Well is a children’s book that takes an opposite approach to Money Hungry. Its protagonist finds all of her financial wishes easily granted for some reason, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. And much of what we think of as a “rich” life comes from other things like relationships.
The Truth About Forever
Sarah Dessen’s The Truth About Forever is a book for teens about money, wealth, and lifestyle choices. It deftly talks of the death of a parent, and questions about identity, self-sufficiency, and loneliness.
I Want More Pizza by Steve Burkholder
I Want More Pizza is a nonfiction book, but it’s extremely applicable to and targets almost perfectly the financial concerns of high schoolers. It covers such important topics as whether should they go to college or get a job. How much can I save every month? What exactly will happen if I don’t start saving now?
Conclusion
The goal of this post is to provide a list of books that teach children about money. These are great gift ideas for any child on your shopping list, but please read the age recommendations before purchasing! I hope you find these ten titles as useful and helpful as I did when researching them.
