Birthday Bling: Spending (Dollars to Doughnuts #1)

Gr 1-4--The first in this new financial literacy chapter book series features two friends, Lucy and Julian, who are looking forward to Lucy's upcoming 10th birthday. Lucy is given a gift card by her aunt but doesn't understand how it works. She's heard the new girl Avery talking about how she buys things with a credit card her parents gave her, which confuses Lucy and Julian all the more. Lucy finds herself in an embarrassing situation at a store when her gift card doesn't have enough money to pay for the sparkly sweatshirt she would like to buy. With the help of teenager Oona, Julian's babysitter, Lucy and Julian both get a lesson in the difference between credit, debit, and gift cards, and learn about the perils of late fees and interest on owed balances. Black-and-white illustrations capture the characters and help move the story along. The message is clear without being overly didactic. For the intended audience, this title aptly covers important financial literacy elements. Adults trying to instill some important fiscal lessons will appreciate the opportunity to share this book with young spenders as well. VERDICT Informative without being preachy, this story will be of interest to young shoppers who want to experience financial independence, but need to learn some important lessons in money management first.--John Scott