One of those books that are fine, but really only qualify as a chapter in something bigger. This is a 'my early economics' reader, where the girl involved has filled her piggy bank to the brim, and gets encouraged to deposit the cash in a bank account. It's nicely done, simply conveying the relationship she has with her mother and the lessons both mom and the cashier can give Mabel, but as I say it needs to be backed up by so much else. A starter, then, and one worth three and a half stars.

When Mabel fills her money bank “Piggy” there’s only one thing she can do. Which is to take a very big step by opening her very first bank account. She imagines all of the wonderful things she’ll be able to buy when she saves enough money.

It is never too early to teach your child how to be responsible with their money. This book does exactly that in a fun and accessible way. It teaches your little one the positives of saving up their money.

What an important lesson this story covers.

This children’s book deals with one of the most important topics of growing older and learning how the world works but I’m not quite sold on two things about the story: pocket money is one of the ways children learn how to deal with money in that if they want to spend it all on something big or sweets, they should be able to. The only learn handling it responsibly by being allowed to learn for themselves what consequences irresponsible spending has. The girl’s mum tells her to save it, which I’m also okay with, but initially, the only reason she gives her daughter is so that she could then spend her money on something bigger once she’s saved up, which again, I think is a big of a skewered perception when “saving money so you can spend more” is the only reason one should save money. Other reasons for saving such as having something to fall back on when times are tough etc unfortunately weren’t discussed.

I did like the introduction and child friendly explanation of “deposit” but was again left wondering why the real reason why banks offer interest was left out. I think an added explanation on how banks make money by lending money would have made sense even for young readers.

All in all a decent, child appropriate book on the topic as long as it serves as a base for conversations on the topic.

When Mabel's piggy bank can't hold any more coins she imagines going on a candy shopping spree, Her mother thinks it might be better to get a bank account and Mabel imagines her money growing and growing. Mabel gets dressed up in a serious dress and goes to the bank to open an account where the bank representative calls her moneywise, and Mabel begins to think about how she can earn and save more money. This book introduces children to the concept of having a bank account and earning interest on your deposits instead of spending money on trivial things.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I think it is very important for adults (parents, teachers, etc) to teach children the responsibility of money. I still remember someone from one of the local banks coming to my elementary school when I was probably about 10 years old and telling us about bank accounts. The person from the bank also helped my classmates and I set up our very own checking accounts. It was a super grown-up feeling to have. This book would most likely not be appropriate for younger readers but probably would be ok for middle-grade readers. I liked the illustrations -- I thought they were colorful, fun, and almost cartoon-like. This book is a must-read for teachers and parents and can help start life-changing conversations about money with children. This book teaches very important lessons, but it is also a fun read. I enjoyed it.

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The message behind this book was good, but it fell a little flat and didn’t hold my 6 year olds interest. There were some things that didn’t really fit with the story. It was just ok.

This is a good book for kids to learn about saving money, and how they can work to save money. It shows different things they can do to make money for their age, and how they can go from a piggy bank to an actual bank account.

"MoneyWise Mabel’s Bursting Bank" introduces young readers to the concept of saving. Mabel's journey to financial savvy is a clever premise that aims to instil the value of money management. We're looking at delayed gratification and saving up for big ticket items rather than spending frequently on disposable items or consumables. Mabel has been saving her chore money for some time and he piggy bank is stuffed to bursting. Mabel ends up opening a bank account and thinking about working hard to increase her savings.

The illustrations are cute and the story is sound but there were a few sticking points that pulled me out fully engaging with "MoneyWise Mabel’s Bursting Bank"
• Mabel had the idea that she had to dress professionally to go to the bank, akin to her mother's business suits. Everyone else in the line at the bank were dressed in a range of casual clothes including her mother.
• The introduction the bank manager also informed about what she (the bank manager) was wearing. Was this a bonding exercise? .
• Mabel viewing the vault is an exception and not a rule.
• Mabel stating that she 'did want her money safely locked away from all these people". It's unclear to which people is she referring. Everyone going to the bank either has money there or is asking for money.

"MoneyWise Mabel’s Bursting Bank is a book with a good lesson which children are likely to enjoy. However unfortunately it didn't fully resonate with me for the reasons listed above.


Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This children’s book covers important subjects and can help teach children about the importance of saving money, and how you can start small and save up.

I had to read this children's book because my niece is named Mabel and I love books with her name. So the premise of this book is about teaching younger kids how to save their money and start to be financially responsible. I think this is a lesson that is important to start at a young age. Too many kids these days want to spend their cash before it burns a hole in their pocket. Teaching kids how to save will grow into smart spending habits as adults.

While the lesson is good, the illustrations are great, the overall story fell a little flat. I'm not sure it will hold a child's attention completely. But over it's a cute children's book.

My thanks to Kalee Boisvert, SparkPress and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

had so much fun reading this book, the story is so adorable and the illustrations were so well done and charming, there’s so many little details in every page that I couldn’t stop but be mesmerized by it all. I will definitely be recommending it! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this early copy

You've got to check out "MoneyWise Mabel's Bursting Bank" by Kalee Boisvert – it's like a burst of sunshine in the world of children's books! This gem isn't just educational; it's a rollicking adventure into the land of money management. Imagine colorful illustrations that practically leap off the page, capturing the hearts of school-aged kids while teaching them the magic of saving.

Mabel's journey to becoming a little financial wizard is a riot of fun and learning, and it's a must-have for any kid's bookshelf. And parents, listen up! This book is your secret weapon for those all-important talks about financial responsibility with your little ones. So, grab it and dive into the wonderful world of "MoneyWise Mabel." Your kids are going to love it!

As a Financial Advisor who knows the importance of teaching financial responsibility early, I was excited to read this and maybe gift it to clients with children, but I was rather disappointed. I found it rather boring as would most children. It was wordy, and slightly confusing. I didn’t feel it explained the concept or the importance of saving very well. I hate giving bad reviews, but I can’t recommend this book.

Mable’s piggy bank is full and she can’t add another coin. As she thinks about what she can buy with her money her mother suggests putting it in a bank. This is a book geared towards children and I can see a parent or teacher reading to talk about money and saving. It is sweetly illustrated but there are pages with just written words, which is less interesting for youngsters reading on their own. This is a simple story: take it to the bank, earn money on what you save, without explaining how the bank makes money or how interest works. As an educator it is interesting to see how seldom students have real contact with money these days. And I appreciate Mable is willing to listen and learn from her mother. Thank you to Kalee Boisvert and SparkPress for the temporary ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review

This is a great book! Good for teaching a very important lesson that all kids need to learn!! Probably some adults too!

MoneyWise is an amazing, thoughtful children’s book! It teaches valuable life long skills while keeping the reader engaged with an entertaining story and beautiful illustrations.

I can imagine children will find this book very boring. Although it holds a valuable lesson about money, the story is too wordy &, quite frankly, no fun. There's definitely better way to teach these money saving morals to children.

MoneyWise Mabel’s Bursting Bank is an accessible and well illustrated children's book by Kalee Boisvert. Due out 19th Sept 2023, it's 32 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a simple short book aimed at the youngest readers (~4-6 years old) written in simple text and with appealing colorful drawings. When young Mabel's piggy bank can't fit another coin, she and her mom take a trip to the bank to open a savings account together. For a simple short kids' book, it introduces some good concepts such at savings, fiscal responsibility, delaying gratification, working towards a future goal, earning and saving money, and more.

There are some slightly odd aspects to the book. Mabel's closet is absolutely bursting with pink, frilly, "girly" clothing (and it's mentioned in the book, without context, except that she apparently has a "sea of clothes"). We're supposed to be moving away from conspicuous consumption and fast fashion, and it's an odd detail in a book about saving and fiscal responsibility. It's also a very small thing, but Mabel's mom is referred to as "momma" throughout, and it's an odd alternate spelling.

I liked that the illustrator showed a wide variety of customers in the bank with a range of ages and ethnicities. It's also mentioned that her momma wears business suits, implying that she has a professional position at work, which is nice. Representation is important, and it's equally important for boys to understand and be comfortable with the idea of women in administrative/professional positions.

Four stars. It would make a good choice for school or public library acquisition, classroom library, or home use.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

A wonderful book that introduces money, saving and spending wisely to children using grown up terms that they can easily understand.

This was a really cute book to teach kids about saving money.

It really captured that feeling of filling your piggy bank up, because it really is a great feeling.

Definitely a good book.