MANSA'S LITTLE REMINDERS:
Scratching the Surface of Financial Literacy
by A.D. Williams and
Kendal Fordman
Deviceful Publishing
Middle Grade Finance
80 pages
ages 8 to 12
Mansa’s little Reminders introduces kids to the concepts of earning and managing money. Although the message of this book is universal, it was written to help African American children understand the value and benefits of building wealth from an early age. It highlights the life of an inner-city kid with big dreams but no direction and a strong and loving family with few resources.
Mansa’s little Reminders introduces the fundamental strategies that can help bridge the financial literacy gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” in a way that is fun, relatable, and necessary. It’s the first of many fun-filled adventures of a young and curious boy named Mark and his wise furry companion, Mansa.
Join Mark and Mansa on this fun adventure of learning and self-discovery and find out whether Mansa will help shape the course of Mark’s life.
Mansa’s little Reminders can help your kids:
· Learn the value of money
· Become motivated to earn and save money at an early age
· Understand the choices for spending money
· Create a dialog about inventing money
MY TIDBITS
With a fun tale, readers learn about the importance of budgeting and the basics behind earning money.
Mansa would like to help his mom out and earn some money, but he doesn't have a clue if he can or even how to do it. When he meets a talking squirrel, who does know a bit about such things, Mansa's ideas start to blossom and bloom.
Broken down into chapters, this tale starts with the basic concepts of money and budgeting before leading on into a more business direction. While that might sound a bit dry, this tale is anything but. First, Mansa is introduced...and that as a day dreamer, who has a little trouble paying attention in class. He comes across as an average kid, who has a good heart and ideas but does get himself into some trouble, too. The talking squirrel adds a touch of fantasy and fun, and allows the information to come across in a way, which never feels like a classroom lesson.
The text is set right at the intended age level and flows mostly naturally. The situations are ones, which hold familiarity, allowing the reader to connect with Mansa and relate to him. There is a bright and bold illustration at the beginning of each chapter, which is simple and adds a nice touch to keep the atmosphere light. When the numbers and terms come into play, these fit right in with the plot and still are clear enough, so the reader can follow along and understand what is happening.
There is a workbook available, which correlates with the chapters and gives readers a chance to work with the taught material themselves.
This book works very well for anyone who wants to learn more about personal financing and basic money earning skills. I especially see classrooms, homeschoolers, or groups working with this one and can recommend it to them.
MANSA'S LITTLE REMINDERS
The Money Workbook for Kids
Children learn about financial literacy, wealth creation, and money management in this easy-to-follow workbook developed as a second step to Mansa’s Little Reminders book. In this workbook, children will learn the tools to normalize wealth and financial freedom. Learning is easy and long-lasting through the use of interactive exercises and fun assignments.
Parents, families, and educators can support their children in developing foundational skills to responsibly earn and retain money. Together, we can create a generation of future wealth builders.
This workbook will:
• Teach children about budgeting & saving money
• Introduce kids to the role of an entrepreneur
• Have them run through real business scenarios appropriate for their age
• Encourage them to interact with elders to seek guidance and mentorship
My quick thoughts...
This workbook snuggles right in with the main book and offers a range of possibilities and ideas for kids to practice and experiment with the themes presented in Mansa's main adventure. This workbook does not work well alone.
It is broken down into the same chapters as the main book. There's a glossary, as needed, for each chapter, which explains the financial terminology. Then, there are various activity hints or things to do with explanations. Each one is different and molded to deepen the understanding of the learned material. It also refers to a related website, where material can be printed out and used.
It' a nice addition to the main book, and I highly recommend using it.
And here they are...
A.D. Williams learned early on how powerful representation is in books. Ensuring that kids can see and feel success through the lens of characters that look and face many of the same challenges they do. When I was growing up no one talked about investing, wealth, business plans or how to acquire real wealth,” said A.D. His underlying motivation is that this book will ignite discussions around finances in households across the world and be a seed that blossoms until wealth equity for our children. In addition to his writing, A.D. is a children hospital administrator, private investor, and entrepreneur.
Kendal Fordham grew up in a home brimming with financial literacy. Her father tried eagerly to engage all his children in economics, financial planning, and investing as children. Out of the three children, Kendal found it fascinating. Straight out of college, Kendal studied hard and became a fully licensed Financial Professional. A year later as a Dave Ramsey endorsed financial professional, she started her own business as a financial and investment advisor. It didn’t take long for her to realize the value in her skillset, but after becoming a mother, Kendal saw how crucial it was to plant the seed of this knowledge into our youth. Kendal is the mother to 2 young children, a landlord, a multi business owner, a mentor, and now, an author.
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