FORMER EXEC LAUNCHES FINANCIAL LITERACY BOOK SERIES FOR CHILDREN

New children’s books share timely reality of budgeting, investing and saving with interactive lessons, upcoming mobile game

WASHINGTON, NC, UNITED STATES, November 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A former corporate executive and Washington, D.C. native is helping children build positive spending and budgeting habits with a new book series. The CleverCents book series is part of an interactive learning platform for children that will later include a mobile game focused on financial literacy. The three books follow curious Lia Brightwood from age 7 to 8 as she navigates real-world situations and learns to make thoughtful decisions, distinguish between needs and wants, and handle peer pressure to follow trends. Designed for ages 5-10, the books can be purchased at Amazon and other book retailers, starting at $16.99.

“Inspired by my own childhood and experiences saving and investing, the CleverCents book series introduces money concepts through stories that feel natural, relatable and memorable,” said K.D. Salters, author of the book series and creator of the CleverCents brand. “It’s built on the belief that every child deserves access to financial education, regardless of where they live or their family’s income. My goal is to make money feel less intimidating and give children a strong financial foundation they can carry into adulthood, while providing parents the tools to have intentional conversations about money as part of everyday life.”

The three books on Amazon.com include:
– “Lia Brightwood and the Cleverton Budget Quest” introduces needs vs. wants and budgeting, helping children develop intentional spending habits.
– “Lia Brightwood and the Seed of Investing” shows Lia saving and exercising patience, demonstrating how money can grow over time.
– “Lia Brightwood and the Glow of Belonging” builds decision-making skills and confidence, encouraging greater independence.

Each book depicts Lia learning how her choices shape and change her life in the fictional town of Cleverton as she earns, spends, saves, invests and gives. Eye-catching illustrations transport readers into Lia’s virtual world, filled with gold lanterns and oversized glittery seeds. Along the way, Lia is guided by Coach Penny, a life-size talking coin; banker Bella; fixer Theo; park manager Grace Goodwill; market clerk Darnelle, inspired by her grandmother; and fuzzy sidekick, “Moji the Mudget,” whose name plays off Lia’s mispronunciation of the word “budget. Faced with a ‘hill of shiny things’ to spend her hard-earned savings on, Lia learns by watching her parents prioritize household expenses and by saving for the things she wants. Her lessons unfold in familiar settings throughout Cleverton, including the bank, food market, toy store, park, Main Street, and Treats Lane, where she also encounters the pressures of trends and consumerism.

Salters is launching the project in honor of her late grandmother, who taught her the secrets to generational wealth at an early age. Salters later built a career in change management and talent strategy, ultimately serving as Head of AI Talent Strategies and Best Practices at a global private equity firm, where she focused on performance management and guiding people through workplace and technology transitions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from New York University and a master’s degree in human resources development from George Washington University. Alongside her corporate career, Salters spent years mentoring young adults on financial literacy, long-term planning and wealth-building principles.

The books align with the national financial literacy standards co-created and maintained by the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy and the Council for Economic Education (CEE). The series aims to bridge the gap between knowledge and action and showcase financial literacy as a universal skill across race, ethnicity, gender, ability, geography and socioeconomic background. A University of Cambridge study on early financial behavior found that many core money behaviors and concepts, including recognizing value and delayed gratification, are largely formed by age seven. Yet, according to the CEE, only 39 U.S. states now mandate personal finance courses for high school graduation. Despite a significant expansion of financial literacy education nationwide, knowledge gaps persist among students: 80% of teens lack understanding of FICO credit scores and 42% report anxiety over future financial security.

About CleverCents™
CleverCents™ is an immersive financial literacy platform that helps children build smart money habits through interactive learning and real-world decision making. Designed by K.D. Salters to align with national financial literacy standards and real-world behaviors, CleverCents™ bridges the gap between knowledge and action. To learn more, visit https://clever-cents.com/

LaToya Evans
LEPR Agency
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Written By: EIN Presswire