The Everything Kids' Money Book

What the book covers

The publisher describes a book that starts with money itself, how coins and bills are made and what money can buy, then explains how credit cards work and ways to watch money grow, from savings to stocks. Its contents also cover needs and wants, budgeting, earning money and giving to charity.

The second edition, from 2008, added sections on online banking, opening a bank account and saving allowance.

What's out of date

Banking for kids looks very different now. Many families use a kids' debit card or a banking app (before choosing one, check its monthly fees, the parent controls and what data it collects about your child), and teens may send money through payment-app accounts a parent sponsors (most payment apps are 18+ on their own); a payment to a stranger usually can't be reversed. Savings rates have also moved a lot since 2008. Today the average savings account pays under 1% a year (the FDIC's national average was about 0.4% in autumn 2026), and the best-paying online banks pay around 4% (Bankrate's top rates, November 2026); check current rates before you choose. The book can't cover any of that, so treat its technology examples as history. One rule to add that it won't have: never share a card number, PIN, password or login code with anyone, including someone online who says they're from the bank or a game.

What still holds: saving a little regularly adds up, interest is what a bank pays you for letting it use your money, or what you pay to borrow, and a credit card balance you don't pay in full each month costs interest (paying late adds fees and can hurt your credit). Kids can't get their own credit card; under 18, they can only be added as an authorized user on a parent's card (card companies set their own minimum ages). Money in a bank insured by the FDIC (the US government agency that protects bank deposits) is protected up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each ownership category, but investments are not: stocks can lose value as well as grow, and kids can't invest on their own; a parent opens and oversees any account.

Reading it together

Treat it as a reference: let your child pick a section that interests them, read it together, and then look at how the same thing works today.

Questions to talk about: Where does a bank get the money to pay interest? What happens if you don't pay a credit card bill in full? What could you do to earn money, and how would you split it between spending, saving and giving? (If an idea means selling to people, keep it supervised: a parent handles any online selling or payments, and kids don't share their address, phone or photos with buyers, and any in-person handover happens with an adult in a public place.)

For a hands-on start tonight, look at a sample bank statement online (or your child's own savings account, if they have one; cover the account number) and find the balance and any interest paid.

Who it's best for

The publisher lists it for ages 7 to 12. It fits best from about 9, for a child who likes facts and can read nonfiction on their own; read it a section at a time with younger kids.

For a newer overview, Finance 101 for Kids (ages 8-12) and Get To Know: Money (ages 7-9) cover similar ground. Many libraries carry The Everything Kids' Money Book, which is the best way to try it.