April is Financial Literacy Month in Estes Park, and young people are very much a part of the focus of financial literacy efforts at the Estes Valley Library. A major grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation is bringing together reading and financial learning for hundreds of Estes Park area students.

This month, students in 3rd-5th grades will receive a paperback copy of Lunch Money by Andrew Clements. The book was selected as an excellent introduction to the basic concepts of economics. Students will be able to apply economic reasoning while understanding the power of decisions. Many studies have confirmed that young people need to understand basic economic theories as they become prudent consumers and wise members of a global marketplace in their adult lives. Lunch Money will help students connect terms like monopoly, supply and demand, advertising, and "wants vs. needs" to their daily lives.

Here is a synopsis of the book:

Greg Keaton is a sixth-grader, and a money maker. That's the way someone could describe him. Greg loves making money and saving it. He does everything from walking animals to raking leaves to selling lemonade to making his brothers' beds, anything to make money. Maura Shaw was Greg's biggest competitor. Living directly across the street, she would watch Greg and whatever it was, she would do the same thing only bigger and better. One summer he sold lemonade, and she sold hers cheaper, taking half of Greg's customers, So when Greg decided to begin selling his comic books at schools, Maura had to get in with her own version. Maura started producing and selling her own comic books and this made Greg furious. In the end, the both learn valuable lessons about team work, standing up for what you believe in and doing what is right.


From the very beginning of the story, there are several valuable lessons on money and math. Not only do children learn the value of a dollar and the value of hard work and saving money, but the story also reinforces computation practice as well. The ease with which Greg adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides numbers is encouraging to young readers.

"Reaching the young people of our community has been a major goal of our project throughout," notes adult services librarian Kurtis Kelly. "We are grateful to the Park School District for this important opportunity to make a lasting impression on students about the importance of thoughtful money management. They have so many years of decision-making ahead of them, and we want to encourage their choices to be wise ones."

The library provided teachers with literature guides for Lunch Money. In addition to the book study, Marcia Yelick, Estes Valley Library's Financial Programs Specialist will join the library's staff to present classes for the students on April 30. The library team will select the financial themes from the book that are most important for youth to understand. A skit will be presented to each grade level that will illustrate those themes, teach the importance of each, and emphasize how each theme is applied in a real-life, "fun" situation. The presentations will focus on meeting Colorado personal financial literacy standards and will include themes like Wants and Needs, Savings Goals, Budgeting, and Entrepreneurship.

For more information about financial learning opportunities available through the library, call (970) 586-8116 or visit estesvalleylibrary.org