 BUILDING BLOCKS STORY

Money Monsters Learn to 

Protect Their Things 

1

Welcome

Meet the Money Monsters! They’re a group of creatures who 

are new to our universe. 

That means they need to learn about many important things 

like school, friendship, and financial literacy. Financial literacy 

is when you have the knowledge and skills to make money 

choices that are right for you. 

The Money Monsters stories will introduce you to ideas, 

habits, and activities that you’ll need as you grow up and start 

to manage your own money. 

The Money Monsters have a lot to learn and we hope 

you’ll learn a lot from them, too!
2 BUILDING BLOCKS STORY 

“WHOOOOOAAAAAA!”

Up and down and back around, the 

Cyclone Spinner swung Foozil and 

Gibbins as they held tight to the ride’s 

safety bars. Foozil’s green hair bounced 

and Gibbins’s eyes wobbled. The universe they came from had 

nothing as good as carnival rides!

The two Money Monsters 

tottered off the ride, 

looked at each other, 

and laughed.

“Come on, let’s get a treat,” 

Gibbins said.

They rushed to 

the snack stand to 

get some cotton 

candy. But when 

Foozil reached 

into her pocket to 

pay, nothing was there. 

She checked her other pocket. That was empty, too.

“Gibbins!” she cried. “I lost my money!”

“Oh, no!” Gibbins said. “How much did you have?”

“Eight quarters,” Foozil said.
MONEY MONSTERS LEARN TO PROTECT THEIR THINGS 3

Foozil and Gibbins dropped to the ground to search for her money. 

Just then, their Money Monster friend Beebop walked over. “Hello, 

friends! What are you doing down there?”

“Foozil lost her money,” Gibbins said.

“Oh, dear!” Beebop’s 

antenna flashed. “When was 

the last time you had your 

money, Foozil?”

“I bought some French fries an hour ago,” she said. 

“Would you help us go back there and check?”

“Of course!” he replied.

They ran back to the French Fry Hut and 

checked everywhere: the counter, the tables, the ground.

“What did you have your money in?” Gibbins asked as 

they searched.

“I put my quarters in my pocket,” Foozil said.

“Loose coins are not very safe,” Beebop said. “They can easily slip out.”

“I know that NOW,” she moaned.

“Let’s look at the other places we were today,” said Gibbins.

The Money Monsters retraced their steps, looking around every 

place they’d been at the carnival. They checked:

The Zinger,

The Magic Shop,

The Ferris Wheel,
4 BUILDING BLOCKS STORY 

The Game Arcade, The Whizzing Fizz, and

The Big Splasharoony.

They still didn’t find Foozil’s money.

The three friends were losing hope.

“There’s one place we haven’t looked yet: The Cyclone 

Spinner!” Foozil said.

“Yes!” Gibbins said. “Let’s check there.” Foozil walked up to the 

ride operator. 

“Sir,” Foozil said, using her best manners, “I think I lost my money 

here. Before you start the next ride, could you check the cars to see 

if it’s there, please?”

“I’d be glad to help,” the kind ride operator said, and then he 

checked inside the cars. Empty, empty, empty. 

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

“Could it perhaps be in the grass UNDER the cars?” suggested Beebop.

“Great idea!” said Foozil.

But before she could get there to look, the ride operator said, 

“Hold on! Let’s go together, so I can make sure you’re safe.”

“You’re right,” agreed Foozil.

The ride operator and the three friends headed toward the cars.

“LOOK!” Gibbins yelled, pointing at the grass. “Two quarters!”

“My money!” Foozil exclaimed.

“Right where Beebop thought it would be!” said Gibbins.

The friends searched and found six more quarters in the grass 

under the cars. Foozil’s money had flown out of her pocket!
MONEY MONSTERS LEARN TO PROTECT THEIR THINGS 5
6 BUILDING BLOCKS STORY 

“Did we find all of it?” asked Gibbins, wiping grass off his pants.

“Yes! Whew!” said a relieved Foozil. “And I’m always going to make 

sure my money is safe — starting right now!” She carefully tucked the 

quarters into a pocket in her backpack and zipped the pocket shut.

“Thanks for helping us!” they said to the ride operator.

He smiled and waved as the friends headed for the carnival exit.

“And thanks for helping me find my lost money, Gibbins 

and Beebop!” Foozil said as the three Money Monsters 

left the carnival.

They unlocked their bikes from the bike rack, put on their bike 

helmets, and rode home.
MONEY MONSTERS LEARN TO PROTECT THEIR THINGS 7

At school the next day, Foozil, Gibbins, and Beebop shared the 

story about Foozil’s lost money with their class.

“I think we all can learn from what 

happened to you,” said their teacher, 

Ms. Learner. Then she asked, 

“Class, what are 

some ways we can keep 

our money safe when we’re 

away from home?”

“We can put it in a zippered pocket,” burbled Octa.

“Or in a wallet or change purse,” said Peebol.

“And keep the wallet in our backpack until we need it!” 

said Foop.

“Yeah, a ZIPPED-UP backpack!” laughed Octa.

“These are excellent examples of ways to safely carry 

money!” said Ms. Learner. “How can we keep our money safe when 

we’re at home?”

“We can keep our money in a piggy bank,” Foozil said. 

“That’s where mine is now. I’m saving up to buy a wallet!” 

Her classmates laughed.

“I keep my money stored in a glass jar on my shelf,” shared Peebol.

“Because I have a hard time saving my money,” added Octa, “I give 

mine to my dad to keep it safe for me until I need it.”

“Our money is definitely an important thing to keep safe,” Ms. Learner 

said. “What are some ways we keep ourselves, and our things, safe?”
8 BUILDING BLOCKS STORY 

SOAP

“I know one,” said Peebol. 

“We wash our hands to keep 

ourselves safe from germs that 

could make us sick.”

“That’s a very important habit,” 

said Ms. Learner.

Gibbins raised his hand. “When we’re riding in a car, we use seat 

belts to keep us safe.”

Beebop raised his hand. “When we ride our bikes, we wear helmets 

to keep our heads safe in case we fall.”

“We have to keep our pets safe, too,” Foozil said. “I use a leash 

when I walk my neighbor’s dog so that he doesn’t run somewhere 

that’s not safe.”

“Sometimes I lose my games,” said Foop. “My parents tell me to 

put them back on my shelf to keep them safe.”

“That’s good advice,” said Ms. Learner. “What else can we do to 

keep our things safe?”

“Well,” Foozil smiled, “we can make sure we have good friends to 

remind us to keep our things safe!”

“Or to help us find our things if we don’t,” Gibbins said, winking 

at Foozil.

Ms. Learner, Foozil, and the class all laughed. For the 

Money Monsters, learning about protecting themselves, 

their money, and their things was important — and fun!

Meet the Money Monsters

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has created the 

Money Monsters story series to help children develop financial 

literacy skills. The stories focus on important money concepts like 

borrowing, earning, protecting, saving, and spending. The Money 

Monster stories are part of a larger set of activities and resources 

available for elementary school students.

The Money Monster books are: 

 Money Monsters Learn About Careers: Money Monsters 

explore careers they may want to have when they grow up.

 Money Monsters Learn to Become Good Borrowers: 

 Money Monsters Learn to Protect Their Things:

 Money Monsters Learn to Save: Money Monsters practice 

saving money to buy something special. 

 Money Monsters Learn What Things Really Cost: 

Money Monsters compare the amount of work and money 

different pets need. 

To find financial literacy activities for 

elementary school students, go to: 

consumerfinance.gov/teach-activities

Consumer Financial

Protection Bureau

Fall 2020