Ages 3-7
Paperback, hardcover; Spanish edition Tía Isa quiere un carro
32
English
2016-02-23
9780763657529
Tía Isa Wants a Car
by Meg Medina, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz
Reviewed by Alex Thompson, founder of Kids Financial Guide · Updated November 2026
The short answer
Tía Isa Wants a Car is our pick of picture books for showing 3- to 7-year-olds how a family saves for a big goal together, and it comes in English and Spanish for $7.99. Its "Helping Money", set aside for relatives far away who may join the family someday, also opens a warm talk about sharing.
| Ages | 3-7 (publisher; Kirkus suggests 4-8) |
|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 paperback, $17.99 hardcover (list prices), or free from your library |
| Length | 32-page picture book |
| Edition | Candlewick paperback, 2016 (hardcover 2011); Spanish paperback Tía Isa quiere un carro, 2012 |
| Covers | Saving for a goal, earning with small jobs, two piles of money (for here and for Helping Money), sharing with family far away |
| Author | Meg Medina, Cuban-American author; illustrated by Claudio Muñoz |
Tía Isa Wants a Car is a 32-page picture book for ages 3 to 7 by Meg Medina, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz, and winner of the 2012 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. A girl helps her aunt save for a shiny green car to take the family to the beach, while part of their money is set aside as Helping Money for relatives who live far away. Spanish words are woven into the English text, and a Spanish edition, Tía Isa quiere un carro, is also published by Candlewick.
Ratings
Educational Value
Engagement
Clarity
Practical Application
Value For Money
What Kids Will Learn
- 1Saving for a big goal takes time and patience
- 2Families can split money between more than one goal
- 3Kids can help reach a goal by earning small amounts
- 4Money can be shared with people you love
Parental Guidance
Tips for using this book:
- Read the book together and discuss the financial concepts presented
- Use the book as a starting point for conversations about money management
- Try out some of the activities and exercises with your child
- Connect the book's lessons to real-world experiences in your family
Full Review
Tía Isa Wants a Car is a picture book about a family goal. Tía Isa wants a shiny green car to take everyone to the beach, but saving is slow, because part of her money goes to Helping Money for relatives who live far away and hope to join them one day. Her niece decides to help, doing small jobs for neighbors and adding what she earns. Meg Medina tells it in what the publisher calls lyrical prose, with Spanish words woven in and illustrations by Claudio Muñoz. It won the 2012 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. As a money book it does two things few others do: it shows saving as something a family does together, and it shows the same money being pulled between two good goals. It also opens a conversation about family members who live far away and the money set aside to help them, which many immigrant families will recognize and others may want to explain. The money lessons sit inside the story rather than being spelled out, so read it as a story first and talk about the saving after.
Our Verdict
Our take: this is our pick for showing young kids that saving is a family team effort, and our first choice for Spanish-speaking and bilingual families. Pair it with a family goal jar of your own, and ask your child how they would split money between something fun and helping someone they love.
Tía Isa Wants a Car: our in-depth review
What the book teaches
The goal is simple and concrete: a car big enough for the whole family to drive to the beach. Getting there is not. Tía Isa splits her money into two piles, one for the family here and one called Helping Money for relatives who live far away and may join them someday. Because so much goes to Helping Money, the car fund grows slowly.
That is where the niece comes in. She tells the neighbors about the dream and does small jobs for them, adding what she earns to the savings. The story shows saving for a goal, earning to speed it up, patience, and choosing between two good uses for the same money. And in the end, the saving pays off.
Helping Money and family far away
The part of the story that makes this book special is also the part to be ready for. Helping Money is money the family sets aside to help relatives who live far away, so they might join the family someday. Helping relatives far away is common in immigrant families. For many children it will feel familiar, and seeing it in a book can be powerful. For others it will need explaining: some families share money with relatives who need it more, and that is a choice made out of love.
Some children may ask why the family is apart, or feel sad about it. Keep your answer simple and honest at their level, and focus on what the story shows: the family stays connected and works together. If your child does small jobs like the niece, keep them to people you know, with you nearby, and help them decide what part of their earnings goes to a goal.
Reading it together
Read it through once as a story. On the second read, stop at the two piles of money and ask your child what each one is for. If your family speaks Spanish, try the Spanish edition, Tía Isa quiere un carro, or read the Spanish words in the English edition together.
Questions to talk about: Why is Tía Isa's car taking so long to save for? Why does she keep putting money into Helping Money even though she wants the car? How did the niece help? What is something our family could save for together?
For a hands-on start tonight, pick one small family goal, like a trip to the ice cream shop or a new board game, label a jar with it, and let your child add a few coins (with a 3-year-old, stay close while they handle coins). Talk about how long it might take, and whether there is a way they could help it fill faster.
Who it's best for
Candlewick lists it for ages 3 to 7. It is written to be read aloud, and it is especially good for 4- to 6-year-olds who are starting to understand that some things take a long time to save for. It is a strong pick for Spanish-speaking and bilingual families, and for any family that shares money with relatives or wants to talk about giving as well as saving.
If your child wants a story about a child saving on their own, a picture book like But I've Used All My Pocket Change works well alongside it. Many libraries carry both the English and Spanish editions; the paperback (ISBN 9780763657529) is the least expensive copy to buy.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Tía Isa Wants a Car for?
Candlewick lists it for ages 3 to 7 (preschool to grade 2), and Kirkus suggests 4 to 8. Preschoolers will follow the car goal, and 5- to 7-year-olds can also talk about why the money is split two ways.
Is Tía Isa Wants a Car available in Spanish?
Yes. Candlewick publishes a Spanish edition, Tía Isa quiere un carro (paperback, ISBN 9780763657512). The English edition also weaves Spanish words into the text, which makes it a good fit for bilingual families.
What does Tía Isa Wants a Car teach kids about money?
That big goals take time and teamwork. Tía Isa splits her money into two piles, one for life here and one called Helping Money for relatives far away, so the car savings grow slowly. Her niece does small jobs for neighbors to add to the savings. It shows saving for a goal, earning, and choosing between two good uses for the same money.
Did Tía Isa Wants a Car win any awards?
Yes. It won the 2012 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award and was a 2012 ALA Notable Children's Book. Meg Medina later served as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature (2023-2024).
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