Black Former HR Exec K.D. Salters Launches Financial Literacy Book Series For Children
A former corporate executive and Washington, D.C. native is helping children build positive spending and budgeting habits with a new book series this National Financial Planning Month. The CleverCents book series is part of an interactive learning platform
for children that will later include a mobile game focused on financial literacy.
The three books follow curious Lia Brightwood from age 7 to 8 as she navigates real-world situations and learns to make thoughtful decisions, distinguish between needs and wants, and handle peer pressure to follow trends. Designed for ages 5-10, the books can be purchased at Amazon and other book retailers, starting at $16.99.
“Inspired by my own childhood and experiences saving and investing, the CleverCents book series introduces money concepts through stories that feel natural, relatable and memorable,” said K.D. Salters, author of the book series and creator of the CleverCents brand.
“It’s built on the belief that every child deserves access to financial education, regardless of where they live or their family's income.
My goal is to make money feel less intimidating and give children a strong financial foundation they can carry into adulthood, while providing parents the tools to have intentional conversations about money as part of everyday life.”
The three books on Amazon.com include:
“Lia Brightwood and the Cleverton Budget Quest” introduces needs vs. wants and budgeting, helping children develop intentional spending habits.
“Lia Brightwood and the Seed of Investing” shows Lia saving and exercising patience, demonstrating how money can grow over time.
“Lia Brightwood and the Glow of Belonging” builds decision-making skills and confidence, encouraging greater independence.
Each book depicts Lia learning how her choices shape and change her life in the fictional town of Cleverton as she earns, spends, saves, invests and gives. Eye-catching illustrations transport readers into Lia’s virtual world, filled with gold lanterns and oversized glittery seeds.
Along the way, Lia is guided by Coach Penny, a life-size talking coin; banker Bella; fixer Theo; park manager Grace Goodwill; market clerk Darnelle, inspired by her grandmother; and fuzzy sidekick, “Moji the Mudget,” whose name plays off Lia’s mispronunciation of the word “budget. Faced with a ‘hill of shiny things’ to spend her hard-earned savings on, Lia learns by watching her parents prioritize household expenses and by saving for the things she wants.
Her lessons unfold in familiar settings throughout Cleverton, including the bank, food market, toy store, park, Main Street, and Treats Lane, where she also encounters the pressures of trends and consumerism.
“I've seen firsthand how financial habits, both good and bad, can shape a person's future. That's why I believe CleverCents - an initiative designed to introduce financial literacy to children at an early age - is such a valuable idea,” said Erwin Matthews, financial advisor and CPA at One Source Advisory Services LLC. “It will help children develop healthy money habits early, encourage family conversations about finances and create learning opportunities that can benefit the entire household.”
Salters is launching the project in honor of her late grandmother, who taught her the secrets to generational wealth at an early age. Salters later built a career in change management and talent strategy, ultimately serving as Head of AI Talent Strategies and Best Practices at a global private equity firm, where she focused on performance management and guiding people through workplace and technology transitions.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from New York University and a master’s degree in human resources development from George Washington University. Alongside her corporate career, Salters spent years mentoring young adults on financial literacy, long-term planning and wealth-building principles.
The books align with the national financial literacy standards co-created and maintained by the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy and the Council for Economic Education (CEE).
The series aims to bridge the gap between knowledge and action and showcase financial literacy as a universal skill across race, ethnicity, gender, ability, geography and socioeconomic background. A University of Cambridge study on early financial behavior found that many core money behaviors and concepts, including recognizing value and delayed gratification, are largely formed by age seven.
Yet, according to the CEE, only 39 U.S. states now mandate personal finance courses for high school graduation. Despite a significant expansion of financial literacy education nationwide, knowledge gaps persist among students: 80% of teens lack understanding of FICO credit scores and 42% report anxiety over future financial security.
“Some of the most important financial habits can be learned in childhood,” said Gavi Epstein, a chartered financial consultant and financial advisor at Lenox Advisors.
“CleverCents helps make important lessons about what it means to save, spend wisely, invest, and give understandable and engaging for children, providing a foundation they'll carry with them for the rest of their lives. The earlier we can introduce these lessons, the better.”
Observed each October, National Financial Planning Month was established in 2002 by the Financial Planning Association to highlight the long-term importance of personal financial management, timed just before the busy holiday season and the start of a new fiscal year. The organization considers it an ideal annual checkpoint for consumers to evaluate their budgets, eliminate high-interest debt and realign savings goals before the winter holidays and the new year.
About CleverCents™
CleverCents™ is an immersive financial literacy platform that helps children build smart money habits through interactive learning and real-world decision making. Designed by K.D. Salters to align with national financial literacy standards and real-world behaviors, CleverCents™ bridges the gap between knowledge and action. Existing tools are often designed for older audiences, too abstract, or disconnected from real world behavior. CleverCents™ was created to change that. To become a CleverCents™ corporate or nonprofit partner, visit us online. The books series is currently sold on Amazon and other international book retailers.
To learn more about the CleverCents™ platform, please visit https://clever-cents.com/ and follow CleverCents™ on Instagram at @Clevercentsofficial
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