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This month’s Money as You Grow Bookshelf pick: "Sam and the Lucky Money"

Read "Sam and the Lucky Money" with your child and use our Parent Guide to talk about how small amounts of money can make a big difference.

A new addition to the Money as You Grow Bookshelf is "Sam and the Lucky Money," by Karen Chinn, for ages four to eight. In the book, a shopping trip to Chinatown shows Sam what a difference his Chinese New Year’s gift money can make.

In the Parent Guide for "Sam and the Lucky Money," you’ll find questions that you can ask your child about the story. For young children, it’s important to build foundational skills like prioritizing and staying true to yourself. You might ask your child about a time they had to choose between two important things. Slightly older children, up to age 10, may be curious about all the ways they can use money. You might ask your child why they think different people make different choices about money.

The Parent Guide also includes activities you can do with your child, based on the key ideas in the book. For “Sam and the Lucky Money,” the activities focus on:

  • Feeling gratitude instead of comparing yourself to others
  • Prioritizing different needs and wants
  • Sharing, donating, and trading old items
The Money as You Grow Bookshelf gives parents and caregivers a natural way to start money conversations with children. You can read the Money as You Grow Bookshelf selections at home on your own. Use our Parent Guides for key ideas, questions, and activities.

Whether you’re a money expert or still learning yourself, we hope you’ve used this book, and the others on the list, to help you practice the skills and attitudes your children will need in the future. If you’ve checked out all of the books on the list and the Parent Guides that go with them, read more about activities and conversation starters for all age groups

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