Isabel's Car Wash

Plot Summary

The Nelly Longhair doll, the object of Isabel’s desire, is on sale at Murphy’s Toys for ten dollars. But Isabel has only fifty cents.

Isabel decides to start a car wash business; she’s sure she can make money. But at the hardware store she learns that her supplies will cost five dollars! She thinks long and hard and comes up with a plan. If five of her friends will give her one dollar each, she’ll have enough. She tells her friends she’ll work very hard and believes she’ll be able to pay them back, plus extra. Her friends agree. Will Isabel be able pay them back and have enough left over for the Nelly doll?

This clever story is sure to get kids thinking about how people invest in businesses. The book includes a note on investing in a business and buying stocks. Sheila Bair also wrote Rock, Brock, and the Savings Shock. Judy Stead’s brightly colored artwork complements the story.

Awards

Rutgers University, Project on Economics and Children - Book of the Month January 2009

Reviews

"Today, with children growing up in a complex global economy, it's never too early to teach them about the value of saving and investing. Isabel's simple story about risk and reward takes an intimidating topic and makes it accessible and fun for the next generation of investors. Sheila Bair has done parents, and all of us in the financial literacy field, a valuable service with this book." Mary L. Schapiro, CEO, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and Chairman of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation

"This title is a great introduction to the economic prinicples of business loans and could be applied to concepts of stocks and the stock market."
Library Media Connection

"This vividly illustrated picture book serves as math incentive, good story, and business primer."
Children's Literature

Associated Keywords
math, money, number, numbers, counting, invest, investing, save, savings, saving, business, stock, stocks, share, shares, finance, financial