Bookshelf

Here we've highlighted books dealing with the subject of learning how to further your personal study of money and how to manage it well. Go to books for younger or older audiences.

For the younger audience...

The Kids' Money Book: Earning Saving Spending Investing Donating
Author - Jamie Kyle McGillian
Age Range - 7-10

It's dollars and sense! Kids are never too young to learn how to create a budget, use their talent to make big bucks, invest their earnings, and donate to charity. They can begin to take stock of their financial fitness with a Money Matters to Me quiz that separates the savers from the squanderers. Then it's time to start making smart decisions by finding a money mentor, learning from mistakes, and keeping a journal of purchases and longed-for items. There's advice on understanding the difference between needs and wants, getting the most from an allowance, becoming an entrepreneur, and sharing the wealth. Plus: personal thoughts from real kids on how money affects their lives.

Better than a Lemonade Stand: Small Business Ideas for Kids
Author - Daryl Bernstein, Rob Husberg

This author suggests a variety of small business ideas, including being a birthday party planner, dog walker, and photographer. Daryl Bernstein has been doing just that since the age of 8. He's owned and run more successful businesses as a kid than many people do in a lifetime.

Daryl has been called "The Business Kid." First published when Daryl was 15, this book describes 51 of his favorite small businesses. They are easy to launch and require little or no start-up costs. As a kid speaking to kids, Daryl explains what they really want to know. He gives tips on supplies, time needed, what to charge, and how to advertise. He suggests special strategies for each venture, based on his experiences.

Daryl believes in kids. He is convinced they can participate in the free-enterprise system. By using the suggestions in this book, kids everywhere can start early on the road to success!

What Kids Really Want That Money Can't Buy
Author - Betsy Taylor

With parents today worried that they are raising the "I want" generation, WHAT KIDS REALLY WANT THAT MONEY CAN'T BUY arrives at just the right moment. Betsy Taylor's advice ranges from simple, everyday things parents can do to more sophisticated approaches, such as teaching media literacy and financial skills to their children to fight this problem. Along the way, she enlists the voices and stories of parents and educators on the front line in this war against consumerism. She also promotes the philosophy of how to have more fun with less stuff by returning to simple and meaningful rituals like dinner conversation and nature outings. Striving toward a life in which the hand, heart, and homemade is highly valued, this inspirational guide from Betsy Taylor offers a much needed helping hand.

KIDSCA$H ™ Cash Management for Kids
Author - Maureen Dolan Rosen

This book offers an enjoyable and affordable means of starting youngsters on the path to sound fiscal habits. This book provides a tool to help children figure out where their money goes --- a spiral-bound workbook with sections for 12 months. For each month, children have space to write down what they spend by category, what they get in income and what they save. Each month has a summary page to calculate the net results, which becomes the starting point for the following month. At the end of the book, there's a summary page to record a whole year's worth of spending by categories. These great tools help teach youngsters the basics of budgeting and planning.

Growing Money: A Complete Investing Guide for Kids
Author - Debbie Honig
Illustrator - Stephen Lewis
Reading level - Ages 9-12

There has never been a time when the world of finance has been so much a part of kids' daily lives. Today's kids want to know everything about money--especially how to make it grow. This completely updated guide explains savings accounts, bonds, stocks, and even mutual funds! Included are fun quizzes to reveal a young investor's risk tolerance, stories of success and failure, a behind-the-scenes look at the New York Stock Exchange, and best of all, an imaginary fund of dollars to invest, along with suggestions for selecting companies compatible with kids' values. New to this edition are chapters on financial responsibility, true-life tales of other kid investors, and step-by-step instructions of just how to buy stocks. Tell your parents investing isn't only for grown-ups anymore!

A Quarter from the Tooth Fairy
Author - Caren Holtzman
Illustrator - Betsy Day

A boy who gets a quarter decides to spend it. But he gets so mixed up when he discovers how many different coin combinations add up to 25 cents, that he wants to buy back his tooth.

A Kid's Guide to Managing Money: A Children's Book About Money Management
Author - Joy Wilt Berry, Joy Wilt, Ernie Hergenroeder

The book explains where money came from, why it is used today, and presents guidelines for managing, donating, saving, and spending it.

High-Fiving Gift for Mom
Author - Cathy Trachok and Judy Bradbury
Reading level - Ages 5-7

In this delightful story, Christopher and his brother visit the craft fair. Although the boys have a cash-flow problem, they manage to buy just the right gifts for their mother, despite not being able to afford many of the items. This story will help children learn to count money. Creative illustrations keep children's attention long enough to learn. It's never too early to learn about handling cash.

The Ultimate Kids' Money Book
Author - Neale S. Godfrey.
Reading level - Ages 9-12

A friendly explanation of a wide variety of things financial, plus playful photo collages and colorful drawings, enhanced with financial trivia and word problems and matching games.

Neale is the author of 13 books, including "A Penny Saved...Using Money to Teach Your Child the Way the World Works;" "From Cradle to College," and "The One and Only Common Cents Series for Children."

She is an acknowledged expert on family and children's finances. She has been in the financial field for over 20 years. She began her career as one of the fist female executives at The Chase Manhattan Bank in 1972. She then became president of The First Women's Bank, and the founder of The First Children's Bank. Her first book for adults, "A Parent's Guide to Raising Financial Responsible Children," hit #1 on the New York Times Best Seller's list. She has developed the first money curriculum for children, grades K-8, as well as a CD-ROM.

The Story of Money
Author - Maestro Giulio
Reading level - 4-8

The book is a straightforward and informative book on the history of money - from barter economics to the complex monetary systems that now exist.

The Berenstain Bears' Trouble With Money
Authors - Stan and Jan Berenstain
Reading level - 4-8

To earn coins for the Astro Bear video game, Brother and Sister Bear find ways to work for money. Then they try to find the middle ground between being spendthrifts and little misers. It's a funny, realistic story.

The Smart Little Saver
Author - Matt Fuller

Matt states, "My main goal for the book is to develop a savings discipline for kids starting at an early age, so they can increase their savings and invest for the future. I feel it is important for children to gain a good understanding and foundation of saving early on."

In the story, Alex and Justin have a dilemma: Should they buy candy or save their money? After the two boys and Alex's pet dog Buster experience an emergency, they realize what saving is all about.

This book teaches children an important message in an interesting, colorful and fun way.

The author is an investment advisor in Dallas, Texas. He also does a radio show about investing.

The Kid's Guide to Money: Earning It, Saving It, Spending It, Growing It, Sharing It
Author - Steven Otfinoski
Reading level - 9-12

Steven explains to kids how to thrive in the American economy. He focuses on the young entrepreneur who wants to earn money.

Kids, Parents and Money: Teaching Personal Finances from Piggybank to Prom
Author - William S. Stawski

The book contains practical and fun strategies that parents, teachers and mentors in all capacities can use to teach kids and themselves, how to be financially savvy and secure.

One reader wrote this: "Stawski has given parents a magnificently comprehensive guide to the difficult issue of kids and money. Following his leadership will significantly diminish the problem of raising children who are consumers before they are producers in our society. If you are a parent, this practical book will help you rethink what you intend as your legacy."

Mom, Can I Have That?
Author - Janet Bodnar
Reading level - For ages 5-16

Ms. Bodnar, taking on the role of Dr. Tightwad, explains why parents and teachers need a snappy comeback. Kids ask some of the most perplexing questions about money. So this book is meant to be a source for the snappy comeback. You will find more than 100 of the queries that are asked most frequently by kids between preschool and high school. The book contains a feature called "Prices Then and Now," bringing back reminders of the good old days. Overall Dr. T's aim is to offer reasonable solutions in a readable form that real people will find useful and entertaining.

Ms. Bodnar is the author of four books, "Dollars and Sense for Kids," the most recent. She is the senior editor of "Kiplinger's Magazine," a monthly publication with a nationwide circulation of a million readers.

Money Sense for Kids
Author - Hollis Harman

Hollis believes learning about money can be fun, easy and accessible to kids of all ages. This book is packed with information to help parents teach their kids the ABCs of personal finance.

Kids and Money: How Parents Can Raise Responsible Savers, Earners, Spenders and Investors
Author - Jayne A Pearl

Jayne offers detailed instructions about how parents can raise their children to be knowledgeable, responsible, intelligent and ethical investors, earners, savers and spenders of money. She provides very practical, helpful advice for today's parent, offering relevant solutions and real-life strategies for teaching money skills and values.

She is an independent journalist and author, formerly on the staff of "Forbes" magazine. She has been writing about business and finance for nearly 20 years and is a parent.

The Totally Awesome Money Book for Kids
Author - Adriane G. Berg and Arthur Berg Bochner

This book is a classic. It's filled with quizzes and games, kid-friendly forms and charts and parent discussion points.

In a straightforward and humorous style, Berg and her son cover the basics of smart money handling for kids. It's written in plain talk, not a lot of fluff and cheerleading. It's written for kids, but many adults will benefit from it.

For adult readers...

Rich Dad's Rich Kid, Smart Kid: Giving Your Children a Financial Head Start
Author - Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter

For Parents

"Rich Dad's Rich Kid, Smart Kid" is written for parents who value education, want to give their child a financial and academic head start in life, and are willing to take an active role to make it happen.

The current educational system may not be providing all the information your child needs. This book was designed to fill in the gaps --- to help you give your child the same inspiring and practical financial knowledge that Robert Kiyosaki's rich dad gave him. "Rich Dad's Rich Kid" will show you how to awaken your child's love of learning using the same methods that Robert's smart dad used to help Robert stay in school, even though he had bad grades and often wanted to drop out. And "Rich Dad's Rich Kid" will open doors that you never knew existed, enabling you to pass down the skills and understanding your child will use for the rest of his or her life.

Raising Financially Fit Kids
Author - Joline Godfrey

For Parents

As a parent, you worry about instilling good financial values in your children, no matter what your income level. But when and how is it appropriate to start teaching your kids about the almighty dollar? Joline Godfrey, founder and CEO of Independent Means, Inc., the leading provider of financial programs for kids and their parents, has the answers. In "Raising Financially Fit Kids," Godfrey aims her friendly, approachable, and practical text at parents and grandparents of children ages five to 18. At the heart of the book is a developmental map covering 10 specific money skills children can master by the age of 18 to become financially secure adults. Godfrey's fitness plan doesn't encourage children to accumulate wealth for its own sake; rather, it helps children achieve independence and become responsible members of families and communities by teaching habitual savings, smart money management, and decision-making skills. More than just a money book, "Raising Financially Fit Kids" will help you send your kids into the world as balanced young adults who exercise good judgment, practice responsible habits, and live financially stable lives.

The Complete Tightwad Gazette
Author - Amy Dacyczyn

"The Complete Tightwad Gazette" brings together all of Amy Dacyczyn's best ideas and thriftiest thinking into one volume, along with new articles never published before in book format. Dacyczyn describes this collection as "the book I wish I'd had when I began my adult life." Packed with humor, creativity, and insight, "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" includes hundreds of tips and topics, such as...

Travel for tightwads, how to transform old blue jeans into potholders and quilts, 10 painless ways to save $100 this year, picture-framing for pennies, comparison of painting versus re-siding your house, Halloween costumes from scrounged materials, thrifty window treatments, ways to dry up dry-cleaning costs, inexpensive gifts, creative fundraisers for kids, slashing your electric bill, frugal fix-its, cutting the cost of college, moving for less, saving on groceries, gift-wrapping for tightwads, furniture-fusion fundamentals, cheap breakfast cereals, avoiding credit card debt, using items you were about to throw away (milkjugs, plastic meat trays, and more!), recipes galore from penny-pinching pizza to toaster pastries, and much more.

Prodigal Sons and Material Girls: How Not to Be Your Child's ATM
Author - Nathan Dungan

In today's possession-crazed society, the average child has unrealistic expectations about money, and expensive taste! From the preschooler who begs for another toy to the college student who graduates buried in $10,000 of credit card debt, today's youth lack a sense of financial responsibility. The old-time values of sacrifice, thrift, and satisfaction have been swept aside, replaced by a need for more and pricier possessions. Luckily, as a parent, you're in a position to influence and shape your child's financial habits. This book has been written to help you on this long and sometimes arduous journey. Author Nathan Dungan -- an expert on family finances and the effects of mass marketing on young people -- shares the numerous lessons he's learned as a long-time financial advisor on this topic. By blending real-world stories with the tools and techniques needed to teach your children the real value of money, Dungan offers a practical road map for instilling within your children a sense of financial responsibility that will last a lifetime.

Money Doesn't Grow on Trees: A Parent's Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children
Author - Neale S. Godfrey

Are you worried about your children's financial future? Whatever their ages, now is the time to teach them the money skills they will need every day of their lives.

Chairman of the Children's Financial Network, mother of two, and a frequent commentator on national television, Godfrey has designed a unique program for kids -- from those as young as three to those in their teens -- that teaches them how to earn, save, and spend money wisely while it lets parents clearly communicate their family's values. This book uses age-appropriate exercises and concrete examples.

Rich Kid, Smart Kid
Author - Robert T. Kiyosaki

This book was written to give your child the same inspiring and practical financial knowledge that Robert Kiyosaki's rich dad gave him. This book will show you how to awaken your child's love of learning using the same methods that Robert's smart dad used to help Robert stay in school, even though he had bad grades and often wanted to drop out. It will open doors you didn't know exist.

Robert Kiyosaki was born and raised in Hawaii. After graduating from college in New York, he joined the U. S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam as an officer and pilot. After the war, he worked for the Xerox Corporation in sales. In 1977, he started a corporation, which brought the first nylon Velcro "surfer wallets" to market. In 1985, he founded an international company that taught business and investing to tens of thousands of students. In 1994, he sold his business and retired at the age of 47.

During his short-lived retirement, Robert, in collaboration with co-author Sharon Lechter, CPA, wrote the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." Soon afterward he wrote "Rich Dad's CASHFLOW," as well as "Rich Dad's Guide to Investing." All of his books have earned spots on the best seller lists in the "Wall Street Journal," "Business Week," "The New York Times," "eTrade.com," "amazom.com" and others. His latest book "Retire Young, Retire Rich" was released in January 2002.

The Road to Wealth - Everything You Need to Know in Good and Bad Times
Author - Suze Orman

The goal of this book is to empower readers to act in their own best interest by giving them honest and useful knowledge about money matters. Ms. Orman's earlier bestsellers, "The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom" and "The Courage to be Rich," taught people to overcome the emotional, psychological, and spiritual obstacles, that prevent them from taking proper control of their finances and their lives. This book is an "encyclopedia" that covers all of life's major financial stages, from debt reduction to marriage, home buying and retirement. It is filled with practical information.

Suze measures out her budget-minded financial advice in simple, yet healthy portions, helping with such issues as basic financial planning, stock options, health insurance, college funding, retirement preparation, investment strategies, et. al.

The Richest Man in Babylon
Author - George S. Clason

The book holds the secrets to acquiring money, keeping money and making money earn more money.

Millions of readers have become familiar with Clason's famous "Babylonian parables" through the success secrets of the ancients by banks, insurance companies, investments houses and employers. This book is acclaimed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift and financial planning. These fascinating stories have become classics in their field.

The First National Bank of Dad: The Best Way to Teach Kids About Money
Author - David Owen

Sometimes parents do more harm than good when they try to teach kids about money. They make saving seem like a punishment and force their children to view reckless spending as their only rational choice. To most kids, a savings account is just a black hole that swallows birthday checks.

David Owen has devised a revolutionary new way to teach kids about money. In this book he explains how he helped his children become eager savers and rational spenders by setting up his own bank at home and offering a relatively high rate of return on any amount they chose to save. He also describes at length what he feels is the best investment any parent can make for a child-an idea that will surprise most readers.