Summer Books and Activities for Kids

Money

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Great Fiction & Nonfiction Books

Age Level: 3-6 years old

Bunny Money

By: Rosemary Wells

Age Level: 3-6 years old | Reading Level: Beginning Reader

Bunny siblings, Max and Ruby, want to get their grandmother the perfect present. Ruby's full wallet slowly empties as their shopping expeditions require a trip to the Laundromat, a snack and more! Young readers can copy endpapers with funny bunny money to "spend" and count along with the indomitable Max and Ruby.

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Money Madness

By: David Adler | Illustrated by: Edward Miller

Age Level: 3-6 years old | Reading Level: Beginning Reader

What's all this madness about money? Long ago, people traded rocks or sheep for the items they wanted, but rocks were heavy and sheep ran away. This beginning guide to economics will have readers thinking about the purpose, and not just the value, of money. [Amazon review]

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Age Level: 6-9 years old

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday

By: Judith Viorst | Illustrated by: Ray Cruz

Age Level: 6-9 years old | Reading Level: Independent Reader

It's not burning a hole in his pocket, but Alexander can't seem to save the money his grandparents gave him like he wanted to. He wanted to save for a walkie-talkie, but Alexander can't keep his goal in sight when there's gum to be bought and chewed, snakes to be rented and bets to be placed.

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Follow the Money!

By: Loreen Leedy | Illustrated by: Loreen Leedy

Age Level: 6-9 years old | Reading Level: Independent Reader

The George in this adventure about currency is having a very curious day! After being freshly minted, George, named for George Washington who graces the quarter, heads to the Federal Reserve Bank and gets into circulation. Travel with him as he makes his way to a grocery story, a vending machine, a washing machine and other exciting places until finally he gets to catch his breath at the bank.

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One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference

By: Kate Smith Milway | Illustrated by: Eugenie Fernandes

Age Level: 6-9 years old | Reading Level: Independent Reader

This fictionalized story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana, who changes his world with a small loan and one hen, is based on a real person. Kwabena Darko lives in West Africa and started a system of micro-loans in villages that would not otherwise have access. Additional resources and sources for further information allow readers to find out more.

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Sam and the Lucky Money

By: Karen Chin | Illustrated by: Cornelius Van Wright

Age Level: 6-9 years old | Reading Level: Independent Reader

It's Chinese New Year's Day and Sam is finally old enough to spend the leisees — the traditional gift of lucky money in red envelopes — on whatever he would like. When he realizes he doesn't have enough money to get what he wants, he is disappointed until he realizes that his gift will make a difference to a barefoot homeless man.

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