Thinking Money for All Kids

Text reads: Thinking Money For All Kids Diverse Inclusive Reads to Teach Young People about Money: A Book List for Libraries. Illustration depicts four diverse children, smiling holding books. American Library Association. FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

We all need to master the knowledge and skills to make smart financial choices and prepare for whatever the future brings. Unfortunately, books that seek to teach children and young people good financial habits often, perhaps unknowingly, lack diverse characters and reinforce harmful stereotypes.finlit%20cover_0

ALA and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation have collaborated with a team of librarian advisors to develop a book list that eschews stereotypes and embraces diversity in telling stories and sharing skills related to personal finance and financial capability for children.

Please select from the following options:

Award Information (closed)

Up to 100 public and school libraries were selected to receive an Inclusive Financial Literacy Programming collection to help them provide diverse financial literacy titles and programming for children and young people in their communities.

Each package will contain:

  • The Inclusive Financial Literacy book list, developed by a team of librarian advisors in collaboration with ALA and the FINRA Foundation, with corresponding best practices and programming ideas for public and school libraries
  • One copy of Rainy Day Ready: Financial Literacy Programs and Tools edited by Melanie Welch and Patrick Hogan for the ALA Public Programs Office (ALA Editions, 2020), a ready-to-use guide for library staff with 16 model financial capability programs
  • One print copy of five books from the book list for libraries to add to their circulating collection:
    • Yard Sale by Eve Bunting
    • When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie Deenihan
    • Investing for Kids by Dylin Redling and Alison Tom
    • The Infographic Guide to Personal Finance by Michele Cagan
    • Clever Girl Finance: Ditch Debt, Save Money, and Build Real Wealth by Bola Sokunbi

Public and school libraries (serving children in grades K–8) located in the U.S. and U.S. territories were eligible for this opportunity.

Application Information

Applications are now closed.

Key Dates and Contact Info

  • Application Deadline: January 3, 2022
  • Award Notification: January 2022
  • Programming Collections Distributed: February–March 2022

If you have questions about the exhibition or the application, contact:

American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office
1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045
publicprograms@ala.org