Are you looking for the best financial literacy books to teach your little ones about money?
Maybe they are just like the Bear Cubs, who spend their allowance as soon as Papa Bear gives it to them!
My little Toots is like that. He’s been saving his money for a FitBit for over two years now! 🤣 😆 He regularly gets $50 from his grandma every year for his birthday. Yet… no FitBit… 🤔
He’s also been saving up for his very own Xbox.
But he does have a nice collection of stuffed animals that he just couldn’t live without, and a headset for the Xbox that he shares with his brothers. No matter that he has no one to talk to on it! 🤣 😂
He just looks cool in it, momma. 😉
Truth is, it’s hard to teach our kids how to handle money in today’s society. Everything’s digital!!
How do you teach your child how much something costs if they don’t get the chance to actually hold that cold hard cash in their hands?
Well, you can hop on that digital train, and teach your kids how to use their own money app. Or you can try to use cash as much as you can. But, with so many businesses refusing to accept it, it does get hard. 🧐
Sometimes, books, movies, and play help to drive those money lessons home.
So, here’s a round-up of the best financial literacy books for preschoolers, to help you get the job done.
The Best Financial Literacy Books for Preschoolers
My boys and I have read some of these, but not all of them. I did find the YouTube readings, however! So, I also included those for you and your kiddos.
Some links are affiliate links, as well. This means that if you choose to purchase the book using my link, Making Mommas will receive a very small commission. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, and it helps me to keep Making Mommas up and running.
For more information, see my disclosure page.
1. Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday
by Judith Viorst
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Alexander, who had a terrible, no good, horrible day just can’t catch a break! LOL. Alexander had $1 from his grandparents. Last Sunday. And he used to be rich.
But, alas, he spent it all.
And now all he has is bus tokens.
My boys loved this one, particularly my little Prince Ali, because he could relate to Alexander, and how horrible his big brothers treated him. 😆
Money Talk: Think before you buy!! Sometimes things look good at the moment, but they turn out to be an incredible waste of money. (Although I am tempted to charge my little prince for each kick he gives his brothers! 😂 😂)
2. The Ant and the Grasshopper
by Amy Lowry Poole
Reading Level: ages 4+
This retelling of Aesop’s classic fable finds a family of ants and a grasshopper living outside the emperor’s palace. The ants spend their days gathering grain and maintaining their home. The grasshopper, on the other hand, doesn’t get up until noon and spends his days playing.
In the end, the grasshopper learns a hard lesson: a little preparation can go a long way.
My boys thought it sounded a lot like A Bug’s Life. 😁
Money Talk: Hard work pays off – and it’s always good to prepare for the future.
3. Apple Farmer Annie
by Monica Wellington
Reading Level: ages 3-7
Annie is an apple farmer. She picks the apples in her orchard and turns them into amazing products, like apple sauce, apple cider, and other baked goods. She then sells them at the Farmer’s Market.
Your kids can do the same! Just grab this easy apple sauce and apple cider recipe!
Money Talk: How kids can start their own businesses to make money.
4. Bunny Money
by Rosemary Wells
Reading Level: ages 3-5
Ruby and Max save up their money to buy their grandmother a beautiful music box with ballerinas on it for her birthday. But they never checked the price of the box before heading to the store! Not only that, but they ended up spending their money on other things (like vampire’s teeth!), and not grandma’s birthday present.
In the end, Ruby and Max had to use their last 25¢ to call grandma and ask her to pick them up, because they even spent their bus fare home.
Money Talk: Prioritize needs versus wants, and always know the cost of something before purchasing.
5. The Berenstain Bears’ Dollars and Sense
by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Mama and Papa Bear are concerned that their cubs don’t know how to manage money. So, they give them a weekly allowance. The problem? The Bears run and spend it all – on the day they get it! Then they mope around the rest of the week.
They think Papa should give them a bigger allowance, but Papa has a better idea.
Money Talk: How to save, track, and manage money.
6. The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money
by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Mama and Papa Bear are still concerned that their cubs don’t know how to manage money well. So, they encourage the bears to earn their own money. The Bears earn so much money that they need to ask Mama for more jars to store it in! And Papa becomes concerned when the Bears sell his family secrets.
Money Talk: Kids can earn money if they are willing to put in the work. But some things are worth more than money.
7. Curious George Saves his Pennies
by Margaret and H.A. Ray
Reading Level: ages 4-8
George sees a brand-new train at his favorite toy store and wants to buy it. So, he works really hard to earn the money for it.
But…George being George, he loses his piggy bank on the way to the store!
Money Talk: Earning, saving, and protecting your money, but you can also talk about generosity.
8. Earn It! (Money Bunny Series)
by Cinders McLeod
Reading Level: ages 3-5
Earn It! is part of Cinders McLeod’s Money Bunny Series. In this delightful book, Bun, an energetic little bunny, wants to be rich and famous. She just knows she’s destined to be a star someday!
Bun thinks all her mom needs to do is drive her to the hall and let her sing! But, much to her dismay, Bun learns that nothing happens overnight – you have to work for what you want. Although she’s not happy at first, Bun quickly discovers that working towards something feels just as good as – or better than – being rich and famous.
Other books in the Money Bunny Series include: Earn It!, Save It!, and Give It!
9. Follow the Money
by Loreen Leedy
Reading Level: ages 4-8
George is a quarter who gets spent on a regular basis! Follow along on his adventures and see where he travels in a day. At the end of the book is a nice informational section that might be a bit above your preschooler, however.
Money Talk: Discuss where money comes from, what happens to it once it leaves your hands, and how far it “travels”.
10. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
by Simms Taback
Reading Level: ages 3-8
Joseph is a frugal man with an overcoat. He wears it so much that he wore it out. But he reused the material to make a jacket until he couldn’t wear that anymore, so he made a vest, and then he couldn’t wear that anymore, so he made something else, all the way down to a button. 😆
Money Talk: Reusing and recycling.
11. Just Saving My Money
by Mercer Mayer
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Little Critter wants a new skateboard, so dad tells him to save for it. He does chores around the house and earns so much money that he has to open a bank account instead of using his little jar!
Money Talk: The pros and cons of saving money in a jar vs a bank.
12. Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money
by Emily Jenkins and G. Brian Karas
Reading Level: ages 4-7
Because who doesn’t love lemonade in the winter? 😁 One day, during a winter storm, a brother and sister get the urge to open a lemonade stand. Follow along as they buy the supplies, create the product, and dip into marketing.
Money Talk: Starting a business at the right time, obviously, but the book also goes into counting out money.
13. The Missing Money: Money Monsters
by Okeoma Moronu-Schreiner
Reading Level: ages 3-6
Poor Kai wonders where his money goes when he put it into the money monster! His parents help ease Kai’s worries by talking him through what actually happens when you put money in an ATM machine. They even teach Kai that he can follow his money on his app!
Money Talk: How to use banks to manage our money
[Sadly, I was not able to find a YouTube video of this one. But if you read it to your kids, film it! I’ll add it to our site.]
14. One Cent, Two Cents, Old Cent, New Cent: All About Money
by Dr. Seuss
Reading Level: ages 4-8
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Little About That!
Join the Cat in the Hat as he explores the history of money, banks, and how people in other cultures use money!
Money Talk: History and culture of money, the history of banking, and even a little on bartering.
15. Paddy’s Payday
by Alexandra Day
Reading Level: ages 3-8
Paddy is the top act in a circus. On payday, his owner gives him a little green purse with his share of his earnings. What does a dog do on his one day off? Go to town, of course!
Follow Paddy as he spends everything he earns!
Money Talk: Paddy just keeps on spending! Prioritize needs over wants and saving for a rainy day.
16. Sheep in a Shop,
by Nancy Shaw
Reading Level: ages 2-3
A group of sheep is on the hunt for the perfect birthday gift. Unfortunately, they don’t have enough money to buy it. So, they barter for it!
Money Talk: Things aren’t free, so you need to save up for them.
17. Spend It! (Money Bunny Series)
by Cinders McLeod
Reading Level: ages 3-5
Spend It! Is the first book in the Money Bunny Series, by Cinders McLeod. Sonny, a cute little bunny, gets three whole carrots for his weekly allowance. And he wants to spend it on everything! Poor Sonny soon discovers that three carrots don’t buy much, and he must make some tough decisions about what to spend his carrots on.
Other books in the Money Bunny Series include: Earn It!, Save It!, and Give It!
At the end of the day…
And there you have it, momma! The best financial literacy books for your little preschoolers!
Books are great, momma, but at the end of the day, it’s up to us moms to be sure our kids grasp these concepts.
That’s why it’s so important to talk to your kids as well. Read the book, yes, but then afterward, use the ‘money talks’ prompt to discuss the money lesson with your child. If you don’t know what to say, start by just asking questions.
And then make the conversation real.
Use teachable moments, field trips, and play to dive in deeper. Giving your child an allowance or taking your child shopping is a great way to make the lesson real, as is playing ‘store’ or setting up a car wash. Kids need practice, after all!
More on money
Making and Managing Money as a Stay-at-Home Mom
How to Create a Budget as a Stay-at-Home Mom
How Much You Need to Save, to Become a Stay-at-Home Mom