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BELLEVILLE AUTHOR: A BELLEVILLE AUTHOR HAS PRODUCED A CHILDREN'S BOOK THAT TEACHES FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FROM A YOUNG AGE.

March 27, 2009

AND IT'S ALREADY BEING RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN YEARS.

NEWSWATCH'S MAX WARK EXPLAINS.

WHAT DO FOUR LITTLE PIGS KNOW ABOUT SAVING FOR THE FUTURE?

A LOT.

IN HER FIRST PUBLISHED WORK, BELLEVILLE AUTHOR -- AND MOM -- JEANETTE RAMNARINE HAS WRITTEN A CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR... AND HOW BEST TO ILLUSTRATE THAT TO KIDS.

RAMNARINE:

"WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO INSTILL IN OUR OWN CHILDREN IS FINANCIAL VALUES.

WE WANTED THEM TO LEARN ABOUT MONEY AND BE ABLE TO MAKE SMART FINANCIAL DECISIONS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIME."

FOUR PIGGY BANKS- ONE FOR SCHOOLING... ONE FOR SAVING... ONE FOR SPENDING... AND ONE FOR SHARING, EACH HAS A SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR A CHILD.

RAMNARINE:

"THE STORY IS ACTUALLY ABOUT WHAT MY SON DID WITH THE MONEY FROM THE FOUR PIGGY BANKS THROUGH THE FIRST YEAR OF RECEIVING AN ALLOWANCE."

STARTING OFF WITH NOTHING MORE THAN A TYPICAL 6 YEAR OLD'S ALLOWANCE, YOUNG CALEB SHOWED HIS MONEY SENSE IN A MOST IMPRESSIVE WAY.... STARTING WITH THE BLUE PIGGY BANK.

CALUB:

"I BOUGHT MY BIKE WITH THAT ONE."

WARK:

"COOL! AND WITH THE GREEN PIGGY BANK?"

CALUB:

"I HELPED PEOPLE WHEN THEIR HOUSE BURNT ON FIRE."

THE PRINCE EDWARD HASTINGS SCHOOL BOARD WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH RAMNARINE THAT OFFICIALS DECIDED TO PURCHASE COPIES OF THE BOOK FOR STUDENTS AT ALL OF ITS 16 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS .

DEMILLE:

"AS PARENTS YOU'VE MADE SUCH AN INTELLIGENT CHOICE ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT FINANCIAL VALUES.

SO THAT THEY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, THEY DON'T PROBABLY GET INTO DEBT IN THE FUTURE, AND THEY USE THEIR MONEY TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

THAT'S SO TOUCHING."

THE PAPERBACK HAS EARNED A MOONBEAM CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD AND WAS RECENTLY HONOURED WITH A MOM'S CHOICE AWARD FOR BEING ONE OF THE MOST FAMILY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET.

RAMNARINE:

"IT'S BEEN REALLY EXCITING TO RECEIVE THE AWARDS AND THE NOTORIETY THAT'S COMING WITH IT NOW."

WARK:

"BUT WHEN ASKED WHETHER SHE WAS MORE PROUD ABOUT HAVING FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE KIDS OR AN AWARD WINNING BOOK... WELL, THAT ANSWER WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS."

RAMNARINE:

"JUST TO SEE THEM WHEN WE'RE OUT SHOPPING.

VERY AWARE OF PRICES.

VERY AWARE OF WHEN THINGS ARE ON SALE.

BEING ABLE TO PICK OUT SOMETHING FOR THEMSELVES AND THE PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP THEY GET AND TAKING CARE OF THOSE THINGS."

PROOF YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM FOUR LITTLE PIGS.

MAX WARK, CKWS NEWSWATCH, BELLEVILLE.

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