Sonia Rach, the deputy news editor at FT Adviser, steps into the realm of children's literature with her creation, "Loose Change: Tina Learns to Save."
Tailored for youngsters between the ages of 6 and 11, this new children’s book endeavours to sow the seeds of financial acumen by introducing the concept of saving and earning interest from an early age.
The storyline revolves around Tina, the protagonist, as she accompanies her parents on a trip to the supermarket, armed with her pocket money and the responsibility of deciding how to spend it.
The illustrations in "Loose Change" aims to captivate children's imaginations while imparting lessons about the value of money, judicious spending, the significance of savings, and the cost of goods, a press release about the book said.
For Rach, writing her first book stems from a passion for financial education, particularly the urgency of instilling this knowledge early on.
Her inspiration to write the book came from research revealing that money habits often take root by the tender age of seven.
She said, “It was eye-opening and when I went to buy a children’s book about money for my niece’s birthday, I quickly realised there were very few suitable books out there.”
Disheartened by the scarcity of suitable children's books on the topic, Rach envisioned "Loose Change" as the pioneer in a series aimed at acquainting children with the world of money, addressing subjects that even parents might find challenging to explain.
“Many children get to their teenage years without a basic understanding of the world of money,” Rach said.
"Loose Change: Tina Learns to Save" represents a pioneering effort to transform the way children perceive and comprehend financial matters offering a gateway to early financial literacy in "engaging imagery, together with useful maths and a fun storyline.”
The official launch of the book took place on November 15 at Barings, and was hosted by Standard Life, a part of Phoenix Group.
The book is now available for purchase on Amazon, in both paperback and Kindle versions.
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event