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Jonathan Bach, in Three Sizes
The Numbers Desk
| Title | Clarence Gets a Bargain |
| Author / Illustrator | Jonathan Bach (also the publisher — independent) |
| ISBN-13 | 979-8-234-07638-0 |
| LCCN | 2026906164 |
| Format | Hardbound, case bound, full color, 11 × 8.5″, 36 pages |
| Audience | Ages 6–10, grades 1–5 (Est. Lexile AD 620L) |
| Reading | Built as a read-along — a kid and a grown-up, at bedtime or in the classroom; a money-talk starter by design |
| Price | $19.99, direct at clarencegetsabargain.com |
| Concepts | 16+, including budgeting, comparison shopping, coupons & markdowns, sales tax, 529 college savings, and Wants vs. Needs |
| Standards | Jump$tart, Common Core Math, Common Core ELA, CEE, FDIC Money Smart |
| Back matter | 21-term financial glossary, page-referenced to the story |
| Endorsements | Maryann Milewski Moskal, veteran elementary educator (30+ years, K–5); Wally Luckeydoo, Ed.D. (2026 EIFLE Educator of the Year; 2026 Jump$tart Corey Carlisle Award); Pam Pereira, attorney, former district attorney and mediator |
The One-Cent Tags
Two items, one Nordstrom Rack, a penny each — and he kept the stickers. Barcodes are obscured; the prices are not.
Both stickers say “99% Savings.” A penny off $293 is 99.997%. A penny off $69.50 is 99.986%. The retailer was being modest.
Pam Pereira — Attorney, Former DA & Mediator
Parent of a second grader. Quote in full, for anyone who wants more than a pull-quote. Please reproduce verbatim.
“I really enjoyed Clarence Gets a Bargain. As the parent of a second grader, I appreciated that the money concepts are worked into the story in a way that feels natural. It does not feel like a lesson or a homework assignment. My child could follow the story and enjoy it, and still picked up ideas about money, value, and making choices.
I also liked how the glossary terms show up again in the story. That helped make the words easier to understand, because they were not definitions sitting alone on a page. They were connected to what was actually happening.
The illustrations are great too. They have a fun, polished look that my kiddo responded to, with enough realism to make the characters feel familiar.
I would definitely recommend this book for teachers, parents, and grandparents. It is not a one-time read. It is the kind of book you keep nearby and come back to when you want to help a child understand money without turning it into a lecture.”
Lines You Can Quote
- “A money book kids actually read.”
- “Story first. Money smarts sneak in.”
- “Any book can teach a kid to save. The hard part is teaching them to spend.”
- “Kids open it as impulsive little spenders and close it as aware, educated consumers.”
- “Every other money book stops at the piggy bank.”
- “Kid lit is a hit! Kid fin is a win!”
Five Questions That Get Good Answers
- Ask him about the one-cent tags. (Two of them, same Nordstrom Rack, a penny each — and he kept the stickers. Then ask how he got a cruise-ship merchant to match the company’s own website.)
- Why a book about spending, when every other kids’ money book is about saving? (His fork-in-the-road argument: before a kid ever saves a dollar or invests one, they spend one.)
- What’s “shopping homework,” and why do kids weirdly love it? (Sale ads, coupon inserts, and a mission — from page 4 of the book.)
- You’re an attorney and an artist. Which half wrote this book? (Both. One drew the robots; the other made sure the sales tax was accurate.)
- What happens in Aisle Five? (He won’t spoil it. Neither should you — but it’s the moment the whole book turns, and there’s a very large orange sign involved.)
questions@clarencegetsabargain.com