Children’s Literature

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Children’s literature offers a powerful and accessible way to introduce economic concepts early, laying the foundation for future understanding of economic development. Stories help young learners connect emotionally with ideas like entrepreneurship, resource use, trade, and the value of work—all essential to understanding how economies grow and thrive.

Suggestions for Teaching Economics Through Children’s Literature

  • Assess Understanding Creatively
    How can you creatively measure students’ understanding of these concepts? Use reflection prompts, economic story maps, or student-created posters that summarize economic lessons from the book. Diversity of activities and assessments can lean into the diverse learning styles present in the classroom.
  • Choose Stories with Clear Economic Themes
    Select books that clearly illustrate core concepts such as scarcity, saving, or entrepreneurship. This makes it easier to anchor classroom discussion and activities in meaningful contexts. See the examples below for direct connections between national and state standards related to teaching economic education.
  • Connect to Students’ Lives
    Relate the concepts to students’ own experiences with money, like getting an allowance, running a lemonade stand, or saving for a toy. As you connect with students’ lives, be sensitive to the socioeconomic backgrounds represented by your learners, never speaking from a place of judgment or ridicule.
  • Integrate Visual Organizers
    Use T-charts, Venn diagrams, or cause-effect chains to compare economic decisions made by characters with real-life scenarios. Visual aids such as this can assist students who learn best through this mode of learning.
  • Use Guided Reading Questions
    Develop open-ended questions tied to economic decision-making: Why did the character choose to spend instead of save? What would you have done differently? Was that a need or a want? These higher-order thinking questions will not only allow students to make connections between the story and economics, but will also showcase their ability to dig deeper and think critically.

Children’s Literature and Economic Education Standards Alignment

The following resources connect selected children’s books to the National Standards for Economic Education and Arkansas Social Studies Academic Standards (Grades K-4), making it easy for educators to incorporate economics into literacy instruction.

The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money by Stan and Jan Berenstain

  • The Bear cubs learn how to earn and manage money wisely with their parents’ guidance. Key Concepts: Saving, spending, earning, and financial literacy.
  • National Standards: Standard 10 (Economic Institutions), Standard 11 (Role of Money)
  • Arkansas Standards (Grades K-4): E.4.K.1, E.4.1.1 – Recognize ways to earn/spend money and describe uses of money
  • Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Lesson

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

  • A girl and her family save coins in a jar to buy a new chair after a fire destroys their home. Key Concepts: Saving, budgeting, delayed gratification, community support.
  • National Standards: Standard 1 (Scarcity), Standard 2 (Decision Making), Standard 4 (Incentives), Standard 10 (Institutions)
  • Arkansas Standards (Grades K-4): E.4.2.2 – Explain why people save money; E.4.1.2 – Identify ways to meet basic needs
  • Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Lesson

One Cent, Two Cents, Old Cent, New Cent by Dr. Seuss (with Tish Rabe)

  • This book from the Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library explains how money developed over time. Key Concepts: History of money, value, currency, trade.
  • National Standards: Standard 5 (Trade), Standard 11 (Role of Money)
  • Arkansas Standards (Grades K-4): E.4.2.1 – Describe the development and purpose of money; E.4.3.1 – Identify forms of exchange

Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins

  • Two siblings decide to set up a lemonade stand in winter, learning lessons about demand and business. Key Concepts: Entrepreneurship, profit, loss, pricing, counting money.
  • National Standards: Standard 2 (Decision Making), Standard 4 (Incentives), Standard 6 (Specialization and Trade), Standard 14 (Entrepreneurship)
  • Arkansas Standards (Grades K-4): E.4.3.2 – Recognize that people start businesses to make money; E.4.4.3 – Identify risks and rewards of entrepreneurship
  • FEPPP Library Resource: Lemonade in Winter: A Book about Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

  • A young boy desires trendy shoes but learns about the difference between wants and needs and the importance of generosity. Key Concepts: Wants vs. needs, empathy, scarcity, trade-offs.
  • National Standards: Standard 1 (Scarcity), Standard 2 (Decision Making), Standard 3 (Allocation)
  • Arkansas Standards (Grades K-4): E.4.K.2 – Distinguish between wants and needs; E.4.1.2 – Explain how people make choices due to scarcity
  • FEPPP Library Resource: Those Shoes Esos Zapatos

Rock, Brock, and the Savings Shock by Sheila Bair

  • Twin brothers learn different outcomes from saving versus spending money, emphasizing compound interest. Key Concepts: Saving, interest, opportunity cost.
  • National Standards: Standard 2 (Decision Making), Standard 12 (Interest Rates)
  • Arkansas Standards (Grades K-4): E.4.4.2 – Discuss the importance of saving; E.4.5.2 – Explain how interest affects savings
  • Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Lesson

If You Made a Million by David M. Schwartz

  • This book uses imaginative illustrations and scenarios to teach children about money and how it works. Key Concepts: Earning, saving, banking, investing.
  • National Standards: Standard 10 (Economic Institutions), Standard 11 (Role of Money), Standard 12 (Interest Rates)
  • Arkansas Standards (Grades K-4): E.4.4.1 – Describe banking services; E.4.5.3 – Explain how savings grow with interest
  • Take Charge of America Lesson

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst

  • Alexander receives a dollar but spends it quickly, realizing how hard it is to save. Key Concepts: Spending habits, self-control, decision-making.
  • National Standards: Standard 2 (Decision Making), Standard 4 (Incentives)
  • Arkansas Standards (Grades K-4): E.4.2.2 – Describe consequences of spending; E.4.3.3 – Analyze how choices impact saving/spending
  • Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and Philadelphia Lesson

Connecting Culture with Economic Education

The Bessie Moore Center has curated a collection of children’s books that reflect diverse cultural perspectives and economic experiences. Titles such as Abuela’s Weave, Erandi’s Braids, The Lorax, Mexican Money, and The Pot That Juan Built offer rich opportunities for classroom discussion and hands-on learning. These stories not only bring economics to life for young readers but also highlight the human side of economic decision-making, encouraging empathy, curiosity, and critical thinking from an early age.

Abuela’s Weave

Erandis Braids

Lorax Lessons

Mexican Money

Saturday Market

The Pot That Juan Built

Other Books

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