Consumer Financial

Protection Bureau

MONEY AS YOU GROW BOOK CLUB

Parent reading guide for 

“Tia Isa Wants a Car” 

by Meg Medina

 Ages 4–8
1 MONEY AS YOU GROW BOOK CLUB | Tia Isa Wants a Car

Welcome

This guide will help you teach your child money management 

skills while reading “Tia Isa Wants a Car” by Meg Medina. It will 

do this by:

 Helping you explain the key ideas covered in the book, and 

then providing you with signs your child understands the key 

ideas and can use them in daily life. 

 Giving you things to think about before reading the book 

with your child. These can help you spot key points in the 

book or spark ideas to discuss later.

Helping you prepare for an enjoyable reading time with 

your child.

 Providing questions to talk about with your child.

 Suggesting activities that help your child put ideas and 

lessons into action.

Parent reading guide | Ages 4–8
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The story

Tia Isa (Aunt Isa) is saving money to buy a car. Her 

niece earns money to help her aunt buy the car.
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 Key ideas

By the time you finish this discussion guide, your child will be 

able to point to examples of these key ideas in the book you 

read and discuss real-life examples, too. Use these definitions to 

explain the ideas. We’ve also included ways children can show 

they are ready to use them in their daily lives.

1. Solving problems

When problems come up, we try to deal with them. Solving 

problems means finding what works best for us and taking 

action to make things better.

How kids show it: They can describe problems and come up 

with a few ideas to make things better.

2. Saving

Some things cost more money than we have at one time. Saving 

means putting money aside until we have enough to buy what 

we want.

How kids show it: They keep money in a safe place and keep 

track of the amount saved for future spending. (Ages 7+) They 

can explain why money saved in a bank or credit union is still a 

personal belonging.
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3. Follow-through

Sticking with a plan to reach a goal can be hard. It takes effort, 

skill, and sometimes help from others. 

How kids show it: They can identify who they can turn to for 

help reaching a goal, or what tools or tricks might help them 

stick with a plan.
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 Something to think about

First, read the book yourself and think about these ideas:

§ A car is important for Tia Isa and her family. It takes Tia Isa a 

long time to save for her goal of a car.

§ Some of Tia Isa’s family does not think she needs a car, and 

others help her work on her goal. 

§ Tia Isa had two money goals at the same time – saving for a 

car and sending money to her family.
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Before you read

Read the book first yourself. Knowing the story will help you know 

what comes next. It is important to ask your child questions about 

the story as you read. Ask what might happen next in the story.

§ Choose a quiet time for stories and make it part of your 

daily routine. 

§ Find a cozy, quiet place to read. 

§ Make sure your child can see the pictures. 

§ Talk about the pictures and characters in the book.

§ Read with expression in your voice. Give each character 

in the story his or her own voice. 

§ Keep the story time short enough to leave them wanting more.

§ Look for ways during the day to bring up the messages in 

the story.

§ Continue to read aloud together even if your child can 

read alone.
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 Something to talk about

Before you begin to read the story with your child, look at the 

cover of the book together. Ask what the story might be about.

As you read the story with your child, talk about these ideas:

§ Why do you think a car was so important to Tia Isa? Did Tia Isa 

want or need a car? 

§ Why was it so hard for Tia Isa to save money? 

§ What did different family members think about Tia Isa’s goal?

§ The niece wanted to help her aunt reach her goal. What did 

the niece do to earn money? 

§ How does Tia Isa keep track of the money she saves? How 

does her niece keep track of her money? If you saved money, 

where would you keep it?

§ How did the family celebrate Tia Isa reaching her goal?
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 Something to do

Set a savings goal as a family Ages 3+

Together, list some goals that your family could begin to save 

for. Explain how saving a little bit each week helps reach the 

goal. Talk about things they may have to give up. Talk about how 

much you have to save and then keep track of your progress 

with a chart using stickers and markers. Your child can also draw 

a picture of what your family is saving for and color the picture 

in as you get closer to your goal. Look around your home for 

containers that would make a good place to save a small amount 

of money. If you child is curious about saving larger amounts, 

talk about keeping money in the bank.

Family skills Ages 6+

Each of us has skills that make us special. List the different 

jobs the niece did to earn money. What skills do you think 

are important to do that job? Which of those jobs would the 

different members of your family be good at?

As a family, talk about how it felt to share with others. What did 

you learn about yourself and other people? Would you like to do 

this or something different to share in the future?
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Spanish words in the story 

Tía - aunt

un pisicorre – a small bus

Sí - yes

Así – like that

Tío - uncle

Rrrridículo – ridiculous, silly

Señor – Mr.

Niña - girl

la vieja – the old woman

mi vida – my dear

Español - Spanish

Abuelo - grandfather

Besito - kiss

Vamos – let’s go

ese mismo – that same

mi hija – my daughter, my little one

los padres - parents

primos - cousins
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About this guide

The Money as You Grow Book Club is a research-based program 

designed to help parents, caregivers, and others teach children 

ages 4 through 10 money skills through reading, activities, and play. 

The Money as You Grow Book Club is an updated version of 

the University of Nevada Extension’s Money on the Bookshelf 

program. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), The 

University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Financial Security, 

and the University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Programs 

have worked together to expand the program and make it 

available to libraries, educators, and parents nationally. 

The CFPB is an independent federal agency. We write and 

enforce rules that keep banks and other financial companies 

operating fairly. We also help educate and empower 

consumers. For more about tools and resources for parents, visit 

consumerfinance.gov/MoneyAsYouGrow. 

The Center for Financial Security is a research center that seeks 

to help the public build financial knowledge and skills, increase 

access to financial services and increase the financial security 

of families. The University of Wisconsin-Extension is part of the 

National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Cooperative 

Extension System, which brings vital, practical information to 

agricultural producers, small business owners, consumers, 

families, and young people.
To learn more about the Money as You Grow Book 

Club, or download other parent reading guides, visit 

consumerfinance.gov/MoneyAsYouGrow.

MONEY AS YOU GROW BOOK CLUB

Ask about these other Money as You Grow Book Club books and 

parent guides. ISBNs for paperback versions are included below:

Consumer Financial

Protection Bureau November | 2016

Count on Pablo

by Barbara deRubertis

ISBN # 9781575650906

Cuenta con Pablo

by Barbara deRubertis

ISBN # 9781575651514

Curious George Saves 

His Pennies

by Margaret and H.A. Rey

ISBN # 9780547935768

Lemonade in Winter

by Emily Jenkins

ISBN # 9780375858833

My Rows and Piles of 

Coins

by Tololwa M. Mollel

ISBN # 9780395751862

Those Shoes

by Maribeth Boelts

ISBN # 9780763642846

Tía Isa Quiere un Carro

by Meg Medina

ISBN # 9780606238014

The Rag Coat

by Lauren Mills

ISBN # 9780316574075