Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday is appropriate for children age 5-9.

Summary:
Alexander's grandparents came to visit and Alexander knows that when they come, they bring a dollar for him and his brothers. He loves when his grandparents visit because he loves money. But in Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday he quickly learns how fast that dollar can disappear. Follow along with the story written by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Ray Cruz to discover where all of Alexander's money disappears.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Connections:
As you read Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday you will be able to help your child find connections to their own life. This book can be a window into their own spending habits or a mirror to reflect a possibly less desirable outcome for their money. You can ask have a conversation about whether your child has ever wanted to spend their money right away, if they find it hard to save their money, or if there has ever been something that they really wanted that they would save their money to buy. 

Do this with your child:
Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday provides an excellent opportunity to practice your child's financial literacy skills. Alexander has one dollar bill but as he spends his money, his total is less and less. For older children, keep track of the amounts that he's spending to see how much he has left. You can use real money to help keep track of the amount. For younger children, talk about the different types of money, bills and coins, and help your child recognize them by size and color. For the youngest children, coin sorting and stacking can be a fun activity to go along with the story.

If you're interested in sharing Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday with your child you can find it from Aladdin Paperbacks, a division of Simon & Schuster here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

A Dollar for Penny

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

A Dollar for Penny is appropriate for Preschool to Grade 1.

Summary:
Penny sells lemonade for one cent, but in A Dollar for Penny the price goes up! With each new sale, Penny charges a little bit more. Follow along with the story from author Dr. Julie Glass and illustrator Joy Allen to see how much money she makes and what she buys with her profit!

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Predictions:
A Dollar for Penny is a great book for practicing making predictions. Each person that comes to buy lemonade from Penny seems to have something special with them. Have your child pay attention to the illustrations as you read together to make an educated guess about what they think Penny will buy and what will happen in the end of the story. 

Do this with your child:
After reading A Dollar for Penny talk with your child about different ways that they can earn money. Discuss that in order to earn money, they have to work for it. Maybe they can sell lemonade like Penny, or do chores around the house like setting the table or doing the dishes.  

If you're interested in sharing A Dollar for Penny with your child you can find it from Penguin Random House here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

Something Special for Me

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

Something Special for Me is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Something Special for Me from author Vera B. Williams is a thoughtful story about Rosa's birthday gift. Rosa and her family have a special jar that is half full of coins. Everyone in her family puts their extra tips and loose change into the jar. As Rosa's birthday is approaching Mama and Grandma decide that Rosa can take the coins to the bank and use the money to pick out the perfect birthday gift. But deciding what to spend that hard earned money on proves to be quite the difficult decision. Will Rosa ever find a gift that is just right?

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Sequencing:
Something Special for Me is a terrific book for practicing sequencing, putting the events of the story in the Order that they happen. To help deepen your child's engagement in the story ask them questions as you read. After you have finished sharing the story, ask your child to tell you in what order did the events occur. Did she go to the bank or get ice cream first? What store did she go to after trying on the roller blades?

Do this with your child:
After reading Something Special for Me talk with your child about why they think it took Rosa so many different tries to find the perfect gift for herself. Do they think that Rosa was just being picky, or was she being thoughtful about what she chose? Then ask if they would like to start saving their coins to buy something special for themselves! You can use a jar like Rosa or find a special piggy bank where they can keep their coins.

If you're interested in sharing Something Special for Me with your child you can find it from Greenwillow Books, an Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.