Reading Books Makes You Wealthy

Have you seen the piece Fairies, Witches and Supply and Demand by Mokoto Rich (August 20, 2011) in The New York Times? The author suggests that when one has money on the brain, messages about economics proliferate in children’s literature.  The examples cited are many and probably true: The Saturdays raising issues about capital versus labor, Little House on the Prairie about specialization, and Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type about organized labor.

Thankfully, an economist’s 3-year-old daughter offers perspective. He says, “[Her] favorite books teach the importance of sharing and gift-giving, values that might not lead to the greatest wealth in the real world.”  Sometimes the greatest wealth is found in tzedakah, or giving to others. Here are some books to inspire you and your young readers:

Jumping Jenny – the story of a girl who raises $1000 jumping on her pogo stick 1000 times

Joseph and the Sabbath Fish – the story of a man who feeds his greedy neighbor when his fortunes turn

Talia and the Rude Vegetables – the story of a girl of who picks donates vegetables she has harvested to people less fortunate

Do you have a favorite story that offers you personal riches? Tell us about it.