Spending & Saving Money

Spending and Saving Money is part of the “Our Values” series which is divided into three levels. Level One is comprised of titles for very young readers; Level Two is designed for elementary school students; and Level Three is for middle schoolers. Level Two books, of which this title is one, contain vibrant background colours, a large simple text font, and abundant full-colour photographs. People of different races and mixed race are featured in the photographs, fostering inclusivity among readers. A table of contents, a brief glossary and an index are included.

Spending and Saving Money introduces readers to the concepts of needs versus wants, consumers versus producers, and the difference between goods and services. Topics in this title include short, medium and long-term budgets, allowances, goal-setting as it pertains to saving money, where to deposit money (piggy bank versus bank account), and charitable donations. One minor criticism is that many of the children shown in the photographs are older than the target audience.

Whether or not the books in this series will be useful in a classroom is debatable. On the plus side, kids will see themselves in the faces of the children in the photos, and the series’ concepts will reinforce what is being taught at home and in the classroom; on the negative side, class discussion and actually “living” the experiences featured in the titles will have far more impact than simply reading about them.