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The Children’s Book Review
Published: February 24, 2012

I was 6 years old when I got my first piggy bank. It was round, pink, and adorable. From time to time, I would drop loose change into the slot, but mostly just to hear the coins hit the bottom of her porcelain belly. I didn’t save any money – it was usually spent on candy – or more likely than not – Garbage Pail Kids (it was the 80’s).

My second attempt at saving money was much more structured. My mother helped me open a savings account at our local bank. I was excited to have a place for my birthday and holiday money, and I would dutifully make note of my deposits in my bank book. My 12-year-old mind was officially blown when my mother explained to me my account would earn interest. The bank was going to give me free money?! I made up my mind to let the account grow and mature, but my plans were cut short when my brother persuaded me loan him my savings. He was successful, and let’s just say, he still owes me 80 bucks – with interest.

My third and final stab at saving money came almost twenty years later. This time it was out of necessity. I started saving money properly, but I couldn’t help but wonder how much better off I would be if I had established better saving habits at a young age. This is precisely what Pretty Penny sets out to do in her new adventure, Pretty Penny Cleans Up, where she teaches her young readers how to save money and have fun.

Penny is back with another big idea! This time she opens a puppy dog salon to raise funds for a concert she and her friend want to attend. The salon is a hit! Penny and her friend divide their earnings three ways: some for spending, some for saving, and some for giving. This way they can buy themselves concert tickets, save money for the future, and set aside funds for charity.

Illustration copyright © 2012 by Devon KinchIllustration copyright © 2011 by

Penny’s three-part set up is a great way for children to approach saving money. Parents should speak to their children about the importance of saving for the future and work with their kids to set clear saving and spending goals. Penny shows her readers that it is fun and easy to save money!

Add this book to your collection: Pretty Penny Cleans Up!

Devon’s advice is simple: start the conversation early! As adults make New Year’s resolutions about saving and getting out of debt, Devon encourages parents and teachers to involve kids in the process. The series website, MyPrettyPenny.com, has downloadable resources for families to craft fun projects like Penny’s.

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Devon Kinch, for The Children’s Book Review
Published: January 27, 2011

The Spirit of Pretty Penny

The Pretty Penny series became the subject of my thesis while a graduate student in graphic design. I had put off my graduate education until I could afford it – which wasn’t until I hit thirty years old. I spent the better part of my twenties getting my personal finances in order after digging myself out of credit card debt.

The experience of repairing my finances – which is a fancy way of saying I worked two jobs and slowly chipped away at the debt – was transformative. I couldn’t believe I had gotten myself into this kind of trouble. I had a lot of girlfriends who were in the exact same boat, so I set out to create a website and line of products to support thirty-somethings in the repair of their finances. However, as I dug deeper into my research, I discovered that the most effective place to start talking about money was with children. Suddenly, my thesis work underwent a dramatic transformation.

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Financial experts say that you can begin teaching a child about money as soon as they can differentiate between a nickel and a dime. So what’s the best way to talk to kids as young as four years old about money?  I needed a fun and relatable character to spearhead the mission. My childhood heroines were Punky Brewster, Pippi Longstocking and Annie. All three were smart, edgy, and fearlessly independent young girls. They had their own unique style and attitude that endeared me to them. (They also had totally awesome theme songs, but that’s besides the point.) I wanted Penny to embody the spirit of my childhood idols, but be very much a modern girl of today.

Illustration by Devon Kinch.

In each book, Penny takes her readers on new adventures by way of the Small Mall. She will reuse old objects to create new shops, she’ll curate exhibitions, print her own newspaper, direct a film, open a puppy dog beauty salon, and sell original one-of-a-kind creations to her friends and neighbors. She is a true mini-entrepreneur: passionate and resourceful. All the while, she will tackle various financial topics like earning, saving, investing, working with coupons, and understanding advertising. The more emotional aspects of money like stealing, fighting about money, overspending, and need vs. wants will also be explored.  Penny will investigate these topics with humor, style, and that can-do spirit that Pippi, Punky and Annie were famous for.

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