Two novels, two workbooks, and a complete teacher guide — built for grades 8–12. Students read a story, argue about a real decision, then work that decision themselves.
Most financial literacy material asks a sixteen-year-old to care about compound interest in the abstract. These books put a teenager in the decision first — a first credit card, a car, a college bill, a first apartment — and let the concept arrive through the story.
No finance background required to teach it. Every chapter section in the workbook ends with a word-for-word facilitation script, answers to the hardest questions students ask, and a discussion tip. You don't have to be an expert. You have to start the conversation.
“Those workshops and that program helped so much back then — and made me much smarter with my money.”
Dat P. — went through the program as a high school student, then came back to help teach it
Aligned to the National Standards for Personal Financial Education, published jointly by the Council for Economic Education and the Jump$tart Coalition.
| Topic | Where it's covered |
|---|---|
| Earning Income | Zella's Tools 3–5, 9 · Charlie's Ch. 4, 8 |
| Spending | Charlie's Ch. 4, 5, 6, 9 · Zella's Tools 1, 6 |
| Saving | Charlie's Ch. 2, 3 · Zella's Tools 2, 7 |
| Investing | Charlie's Ch. 10 · Zella's Tool 8 |
| Managing Credit | Charlie's Ch. 1, 2, 7, 8 · Zella's Tool 10 |
| Managing Risk | Charlie's Ch. 7, 9 · Zella's Tool 7 |
Charlie's covers the consumer side — spending, credit, borrowing. Zella's covers earning and ownership — income, enterprise, taxes, assets. Together they address all six topics.
Washington adopted the Jump$tart and CEE national standards as its own Financial Education Learning Standards under SB 5202. Our national alignment is Washington alignment — no separate crosswalk needed.
California's new stand-alone personal finance course must be offered by every high school in 2027–28 and is required to graduate starting with the class of 2030–31. Required content is set by Education Code § 51284.5. Our materials address 10 of the 13 required topics — including investing and retirement accounts (topic 8, via The 2-Hour 401(k) Maximizer) and the psychology of financial well-being (topic 11, via Mindset, Purpose & Money).
We don't cover insurance, fraud/identity theft, or charitable giving. These books are a supplement to a personal finance course, not a replacement for one — and we'd rather tell you that upfront than have you discover it in week six.
One chapter per class period or per week. The full arc.
Two chapters per session, paired thematically. For tighter calendars.
Or pick the three chapters that match a unit you already teach. Both pacing guides are printed in the workbook — nothing to build.
Any class or group reading one of the books gets a live Zoom visit with me — students ask whatever they want about money and I answer. No charge, no sales pitch, no catch.
I've done this with classes reading Charlie's Money Choices, and it's honestly my favorite part of this work.
Request a classroom visit →California now requires a stand-alone personal finance course. Most schools don't have a teacher with a finance background — and the curriculum is the easy part. The confidence is the hard part. That's what these are for.
One teacher, one to two sections
A department, multiple sections
Multiple schools, plus ongoing coaching through the year via 12th & Good Street — our financial wellness program for schools and companies. One flat annual fee, a named coach your staff can actually reach, no commissions ever.
California funding note: NGPF is awarding $1M in California Challenge Grants — up to $3,500 per school teaching the course, explicitly usable for professional development. Confirm eligibility and allowable uses with NGPF before purchasing.
The consumer side — credit, budgeting, cars, college, apartments, investing.
Novel → · Workbook + Teacher Guide →The earning side — income, enterprise, taxes, safety nets, ownership.
Novel → · Companion Workbook →Class sets, bulk pricing, or a district conversation? Email me directly at connect@tonydoble.com and I'll respond personally.
Email me. I'll send a sample chapter, answer curriculum questions, or get on a call with you or your department. There's no sales team here — it's me.