Shopping Homework? Yes, Really.
Clarence learns that the best deals don’t just fall in your lap. Through hands-on “shopping homework,” he discovers how to compare prices, read ads, and find the real value behind every price tag. Your kids will too.
Clarence learns that the best deals don’t just fall in your lap. Through hands-on “shopping homework,” he discovers how to compare prices, read ads, and find the real value behind every price tag. Your kids will too.
Clarence finds a marked-down RoBimmie and takes it back to compare with the newer models. Two small differences — a slightly smaller screen and an antenna. One much smarter choice. This is the moment kids learn that newer doesn’t always mean better.
Clarence remembers the sale ad he shoved in his pocket before leaving the house. He pulls out an extra 10% off coupon and hands it to the cashier like a tiny attorney presenting Exhibit A. The price drops again. Mom’s jaw drops a little too. That’s the moment the whole book builds toward — and the one kids remember longest.
Click to open • Flip pages by clicking left/right • Arrow keys work
Join educators and parents who are teaching kids real-world money skills.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time. We don’t sell or share your email. — Privacy questions?
“An absolute masterclass in early-stage financial literacy. This book seamlessly bridges the gap between engaging, character-driven storytelling and core economic competencies.”
“My students fought over who got to hold the book during read-aloud. Fought. Over a book about money.”
“The twist at the end caught me completely off guard. I laughed so hard my kid asked me if I was OK. Needed this book 30 years ago.”
“This book was really interesting and fun to read! It taught me how to get sales to save money, which made me feel more grown-up and smart.”
Financial literacy is usually treated as a “high school” topic, but research shows that money habits are formed by age seven (University of Cambridge, 2013). Most educational books on this subject are either too dry for a first-grader or too simplistic for a fifth-grader.
Clarence Gets a Bargain bridges that gap. It is a 36-page narrative tool designed for K–5 classrooms, libraries, and financial education programs. We don’t just tell a story; we provide a roadmap for the following core concepts:
Stop teaching money with abstract worksheets. Teach it with a mission.
DOWNLOAD THE EDUCATOR’S PREVIEWThe concepts in Clarence Gets a Bargain support recognized 1–5 financial literacy and academic frameworks. Educators may find natural connections to the standards below.
*Jump$tart and CEE topic names reference the 2021 National Standards for Personal Financial Education, co-published by the Jump$tart Coalition and Council for Economic Education. CCSS codes reference the Common Core State Standards. FDIC labels reference the FDIC Money Smart program. Hands on Banking K–5 is a financial education program provided by Wells Fargo.
Framework connections are suggested by the author based on book content and have not been formally verified or endorsed by the listed organizations. Educators are encouraged to review alignment for their specific curriculum requirements.
† Glossary supports vocabulary across all six topic areas.
Every resource below was built alongside the book — not as an afterthought. The lesson plans reference the same frameworks your district already uses. The assessments are built to support pre/post documentation. The family activities extend learning beyond the classroom. Download everything. It’s all free.
The page you send your principal. A guided walkthrough of all six financial concepts in the book, with actual illustrations, a 7-stop story timeline, standards-at-a-glance across Jump$tart, Common Core, and CEE, bulk pricing tiers, and a cliffhanger that makes administrators want to read the ending. Scroll-animated, smartboard-ready, built for the person who signs the purchase order.
Explore PreviewThree 15-minute modules you can teach tomorrow with nothing but the book and a screen. Each module has a built-in countdown timer, a hands-on activity with coupon-style student cards, and a one-click Presentation Mode that turns your smartboard into a full-screen, arrow-key-navigable lesson. Covers needs vs. wants, coupons and discounts, and saving goals. Zero prep means zero prep.
Explore Lessons36 discussion prompts organized into three chapter sections, with a Classroom/Home toggle that swaps facilitation tips for family activities. Filter by depth (Starter, Intermediate, Advanced) or hit the Random button and go. Every prompt expands to reveal a teacher tip or a “Try This at Home” activity. Works at a desk, a dinner table, or in the car on the way to the grocery store.
Explore GuideA five-question interactive quiz that students take on any device. Scenario-based questions with Clarence in every card, instant scoring, animated star ratings, and a printable certificate with the student’s name. Educators get a built-in toolkit with answer key, standards alignment, and a print-ready worksheet version. Use it as a pre/post assessment or a standalone Friday activity.
Explore AssessmentA three-mission family grocery store adventure. Kids enter their Agent Name, sort items into needs vs. wants, hunt for real sale prices, and compare brands side-by-side — all at the actual store. Missions unlock sequentially, and completing all three earns a rank (Bargain Apprentice to Chief Bargain Officer) on a printable mission report. The book comes alive in aisle five.
Explore ActivityAn interactive standards map covering six core financial concepts across four national frameworks: Jump$tart, Common Core Math, Common Core ELA, and CEE. Filter by framework or grade level (1–5), expand any concept to see every aligned standard with its code and description, and generate a custom report for your grant application. Built for purchase orders, grant applications, and district adoption packets.
Explore ChartBuilt for how schools and institutions actually buy books. Schools, libraries, financial education programs, credit unions, and community organizations welcome.
For school curriculum directors, librarians, and PTA leadership. Submit your institutional email to receive a complimentary review copy for adoption evaluation.
Request Exam CopyVolume pricing for school districts, local credit unions, Scout troops, libraries, and community organizations. Title I volume discounts available.
Request a QuoteCustom co-branded editions for corporate sponsors, financial institutions, and national programs. Available for financial institution outreach programs, state-level financial literacy initiatives, and national educational partnerships.
Contact UsWe accept Purchase Orders (POs), offer Net 30 terms, and support Title I volume pricing. Contact us to discuss your institution’s procurement process.
Clarence Gets a Bargain is a Lexile-rated (AD 620L) financial literacy resource. The concepts in the book support themes featured in FDIC Money Smart for Young People and topics covered by Jump$tart National Standards for K–12 Personal Finance Education. It includes pre-built family engagement activities, making it a natural fit for Title I supplemental material programs and corporate financial literacy philanthropy.
When your team asks why you selected this resource, the framework connections are there: Jump$tart topics (Spending, Saving, Earning Income, Managing Credit). Common Core CCSS.Math.5.NBT.B.7. FDIC Money Smart K–5 themes. Council for Economic Education topics. These connections are suggested by the author based on book content and have not been formally verified or endorsed by those organizations. Pre- and post-assessment activities included.
And the kids actually think it’s hilarious.