Financial literacy can be tough to achieve — even for adults who have been grappling with money topics their whole lives. But by giving kids a solid, foundational education in finance early in life, you can help them become more financially savvy adults.
“Financial stability is a necessity for everyone in present day circumstances. But the concept of financial stability doesn’t only come with experience,” Frank Barber, business development and finance expert for Oxford Gold Group, says. “Children of all ages should know the importance of gaining financial education. That will help create a stable future.”
If you’re looking for a way to teach your children — from elementary age to teens — about financial basics, check out some of these best money books for kids:
1. ‘Finance 101 for Kids: Money Lessons Children Cannot Afford to Miss,’ by Walter Andal
Best for: Kids’ first introduction to financial literacy.
Parents and guardians looking to introduce their children to money and financial literacy should look no further than “Finance 101 for Kids,” by Walter Andal.
“This book serves as a great introduction to financial literacy for kids. It covers essential topics like earning money, budgeting and the basics of credit. It prompts valuable discussions about money and encourages children to develop responsible money habits,” says Donna Paul, elementary teacher and co-creator of That’s So Montessori.
The book spans a wide range of topics, including where money comes from, credit and the importance of donating.
“The best part is that this book also covers the need to give something back to the world. It shows the need to make money but also highlights that one should be helping people around them too,” Barber says.
Get the book here.
2. ‘Finance 102 for Kids: Practical Money Lessons Children Cannot Afford to Miss,’ by Walter Andal
Best for: Applying money basics to real scenarios.
For kids who are ready to move past the basics, Andal published a sequel to “Finance 101,” called “Finance 102,” in 2021.
This book goes beyond the original to teach kids how to start applying money lessons to real world scenarios, offering them advice on things like living within their means and resisting social media influence.
Andal is a favorite author among parents and financial experts alike, thanks to his personal touch and experiences with his own children and how they learn.
“The author was so concerned because his own children did not have knowledge about finances. So, that’s what gave him inspiration,” Barber says.
Get the book here.
3. ‘Get To Know: Money: A Fun, Visual Guide to How Money Works and How to Look After It,’ by Kalpana Fitzpatrick
Best for: Understanding how money works.
If you have a visual learner — or a kid who needs a bit more stimulation to stay engaged in education — a money basics book featuring plenty of pictures, quizzes and more can be a good way to get them interested in finance.
“Get to Know: Money,” by Kalpana Fitzpatrick, offers lessons for kids about how money works in an easy-to-digest format. Covering topics from how to save to what banks actually do with money, this book uses illustrations, diagrams and interactive activities to keep children engaged in its topics.
Get the book here.
4. ‘How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000: Earn! Invest! Save!,’ by James McKenna, Jeannine Glista and Matt Fontaine
Best for: Learning to grow wealth.
A recent study by Junior Achievement USA and Citizens Bank found that more than 30% of teens didn’t believe they would be financially independent from their parents by the time they turned 30.
[See: 6 Things Everyone Should Know About Money Before 30]
Further, 39% of respondents said they were saving their money unbanked — in a shoebox or something similar.
Setting up kids for financial success includes teaching them how to make money work for them — like earning interest and leveraging the stock market. “How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000” tackles topics just like this.
“This book offers practical advice on managing money and becoming financially secure,” Paul says. “It teaches kids about earning, saving and investing money instead of spending it impulsively. With engaging graphics and easy-to-understand language, it provides valuable lessons on building wealth from an early age.”
Get the book here.
5. ‘The Know-Nonsense Guide to Money: An Awesomely Fun Guide to the World of Finance!,’ by Heidi Fiedler
Best for: Decoding money terms and complex financial topics.
Finance is an industry ripe with complex terminology and confusing topics — even for adults. In an effort to break down some of these concepts, “The Know-Nonsense Guide to Money” offers straightforward definitions and examples of common terms.
It covers topics in several areas of personal finance, including basics like types of currency to saving and borrowing.
Get the book here.
[READ: Better Money Habits to Start Now.]
6. ‘A Smart Girl’s Guide: Money (Revised): How to Make It, Save It, and Spend It,‘ by Nancy Holyoke
Best for: Young girls seeking tips from other women.
The popular Smart Girl’s Guides series from American Girl has been a trusted resource for teaching girls and young women about important topics for years. The series covers topics from race and inclusion to friendship troubles, and of course, money.
This book balances education with interactive elements — including quizzes about how you should spend your money — to keep children engaged.
Get the book here.
7. ‘Not-So-Common Cents: Super Duper Important Facts About Money You Can’t Afford to Miss,’ by Sarah Wassner Flynn
Best for: Introduction to the world of finance.
As your kids reach middle school and older, you might be ready to move on from the basic spend, save and give lessons to teaching them about the greater world of finance and its complexities — from credit scores to cryptocurrency.
“I’ve been impressed with ‘Not-So-Common Cents,'” Ann Martin, director of operations at CreditDonkey, says.
“It does an excellent job of tackling fairly high-level topics like credit scores, cryptocurrency and even charitable tax deductions, in a way that is useful, realistic and practical, while also being accessible to kids. It’s a great fit for your late elementary schooler or early middle schooler, and if you can get them with the finance bug early enough, they’ll still be referring to this book well into their teen years,” she says.
Get the book here.
8. ‘A Quick History of Money: From Bartering to Bitcoin,’ by Clive Gifford
Best for: Understanding where money comes from.
“A Quick History of Money” is a recent addition to the Quick Histories series, which tackles not only basic lessons on math, science and more, it teaches kids where these things originated and how they’ve developed throughout history.
This book covers everything from where currency came from to the origin of the banking system and history’s biggest money mistakes — giving kids a well-rounded picture of how the financial world works.
Get the book here.
9. ‘How to Money: Your Ultimate Visual Guide to the Basics of Finance,’ by Jean Chatzky and Kathryn Tuggle
Best for: Teens starting to earn their own money.
Jean Chatzky, CEO of HerMoney, and Kathryn Tuggle, editor in chief, wrote this book that has quickly become a favorite read for parents with teenagers.
As your kids get older and potentially start earning their own money — whether from first jobs or an allowance — money lessons that have been purely theoretical need to be put into practice.
“How to Money” bridges this gap, offering teens clear instruction on how to build a budget, navigate student loans and more.
Get the book here.
[READ: Ways to Teach Kids About Money.]
10. ‘I Want More Pizza: Real World Money Skills For High School, College, And Beyond,’ by Steve Burkholder
Best for: Teaching teens financial independence.
“I Want More Pizza” takes all the money lessons you’ve taught your children and teens over the years and puts the power in their hands to start applying them.
Using an easy-to-understand metaphor (who doesn’t like pizza?), this book walks young adults through how to take real action with their finances.
Get the book here.
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Best Money Books for Kids originally appeared on usnews.com
