Reading Makes Cents

Reading Makes Cents is a statewide reading challenge for all elementary and middle schools designed to introduce basic financial concepts to K-8 students. The selected books will help your students understand how money works in the world, potentially leading to greater financial success in their futures.

One key concept in these books is saving money for long-term goals like college. To reinforce this lesson, Invest529℠ is awarding college savings accounts to 14 student participants. We know that the sooner a family starts saving for higher education, the more accessible it becomes.

2026 – 2027
Featured Books

All Virginia elementary and middle school librarians are invited to complete a simple application in order to bring Reading Makes Cents to your school courtesy of VCEE, SOAR Virginia and Invest529.

Leena Mo, CEO

By Deena Shakir | Illustrated by Nez Riaz

About Leeno Mo, CEO

When a young girl invents something to help her with snow shoveling, she piques the interest of her neighbors and gets inspired to start her own business in this go-getter picture book.

There’s nothing Leena Mo dreads more than shoveling snow. Her time would be much better spent dreaming up new ideas and inventions. What if she invented something to take the chore off her plate? After tinkering and testing, Leena creates the robot Helmy, whose shoveling prowess sweeps her neighbors off their feet.

As demand for the robot helper grows, Leena fills orders, accepts investments, and hires more help—before she knows it, her snow day idea has turned into a booming business! What’s next for Leena Mo, CEO?

Grade Level: Preschool – 3

Age Range: 4 to 8 years

Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

By Andrea Wang | Illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz

About Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

Inspiration struck when Momofuku Ando spotted the long lines for a simple bowl of ramen following World War II. Magic Ramen tells the true story behind the creation of one of the world’s most popular foods.

Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab—a little shed in his backyard. For years, he’d dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he’d seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed.

Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting.

With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Momofuku Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world’s most popular foods.

Grade Level: Preschool – 3

Age Range: 4 to 8 years

The Melody of Money: Singing, Saving, and Smiles

By Tori Filas | Illustrated by Ethan Roffler

The Melody of Money : Singing, Saving, and Smiles

Fizzy is determined to see her favorite singer, Larry Smiles, in concert—but dreams don’t happen without a plan! When she realizes her Save Jar is nearly empty, she and her best friend Finn create a strategy to start their own business.

As they work together to earn money, Fizzy learns valuable lessons about entrepreneurship, goal-setting, and making a profit. But will their plan pay off in time for the big night?

The Melody of Money is an engaging story that introduces young readers to entrepreneurship in a way that’s easy to understand and exciting to explore. With lively storytelling, captivating illustrations, and an inspiring message, this book empowers kids to dream big, take action, and make smart money choices—one goal at a time!

Grade Level: Kingergarten – 5

Age Range: 5 to 10 years

VA School and Community Librarians and Teachers

To learn more about the Reading Makes Cents program including how your school can get a set of these three books and a ton of resources and support:

Each year the Virginia Council on Economic Education provides comprehensive online resources customized to the three featured books in order to help solidify the concepts and further engage students.

Register Here

Student Winners:

1,800+

# of Students

255

# of Advisors

Congratulations to the libraries with the highest participation rates:

Cumberland Elementary
Piney Branch Elementary
Ferrum Elementary
Buckingham County Primary

And a big congratulations to the student winners:

Susan J.
Appomattox Primary
Melanie H.
Appomattox Primary
Rashad K.
Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary
Olivia B.
Piney Branch Elementary
Damon K.
King George Middle
Avery B.
King George Middle
Nova R.
Callaway Elementary
Mya W.
Ferrum Elementary
Damien J.
Buckingham Co. Primary
Dillion G.
Linville-Edom Elementary
Ashton P.
Ghent Schoo
Brooks C.
Ghent Schoo

The objective is to help students understand and apply the following Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning:

Saving and the importance of budgeting money to buy things in the future
People make choices because they cannot have everything they want and all choices have an opportunity cost (the second choice given up when making a choice)
Investing in your human capital (a person’s specific knowledge and skills)
People work at jobs to earn money