Reading Challenge

With participation in the Reading Makes Cents program, you’ll do so much more than just help K–8 students learn, understand, and apply SOL concepts.

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Complete the Reading Makes Cents Reading Challenge and you could win a $529 higher education savings account.

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  1. Read five books
    • At least four of the books must be selections from the Reading Makes Cents reading list on the back of this page. You can read them on your own, read with an adult, or listen as an adult reads to you.
  2. Complete the reading log.
  3. Submit it to Invest529 by May 16, 2025.
    • Mail to:
      Invest529
      ATTN: Reading Makes Cents
      9001 Arboretum Parkway,
      North Chesterfield, VA 23236

Fourteen students will receive an Invest529℠ account with an initial balance of $529. The winners will be announced by June 6, 2025.

Complete the reading log (online) Complete the reading log for Elementary Students (pdf) Complete the reading log for Middle Students (pdf)

official terms and conditions (pdf)

Reading Log

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Students can visit www.openlibrary.org to read 30+ titles from the Financial Literacy list.

* = required

Reading List

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Clearly, saving money is important – and in a nation of ever–rising higher education costs, saving for your child’s educational future is more necessary than ever before.

  • A Bike Like Sergio's Maribeth Bolts
  • A Gift from Abuela Cecilia Ruiz
  • A Home in the Woods Eliza Wheeler
  • A Penny’s Worth Kimberly Wilson
  • A Long Walk to Water: A Novel: Based on a True Story Linda Sue Park
  • Al Capone Does My Shirts Ginnifer Choldenko
  • Bea and the New Deal Horse L.M. Elliot
  • Billy Sure, Kid Entrepreneur Ross Graham
  • Blizzard John Rocco
  • Born Behind Bars Padma Venkatraman
  • Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The William Kamkwamba
  • Brotherhood Anne Westrick
  • Carmela Full of Wishes Matt de la Pena
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl
  • Chirp Kate Messner
  • Cleo Edison Oliver: Playground Millionaire Sundee Frasier
  • Crenshaw Katherine Applegate
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Jeff Kinney
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul Jeff Kinney
  • Dirt Cheap Mark Huffmann
  • Dreamers Yuyi Morales
  • Earn It! Cinders McLeod
  • Earns Her Own Money Lisa Bullard
  • Esperanza Rising Pam Munoz Ryan
  • Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington Jabari Asim
  • Finally Seen Kelly Yang
  • Front Desk Kelly Yang
  • Fry Bread Kevin Maillard Noble
  • Full of Beans Jennifer L. Holm
  • Give it! Cinders McLeod
  • Gold! David Shannon
  • Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller Doreen Rappaport
  • Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the SpaceRace - Margot Lee Shetterly
  • How to Steal a Dog Barbara O'Connor
  • Hurricane John Rocco
  • Iceberg Jennifer Nielsen
  • Isabel's Car Wash Sheila Bair
  • It Began With Lemonade Gideon Sterer
  • J.D. and the Great Barber Battle J. Dillard
  • John Deere, That's Who Tracy Nelson Maurer
  • Kizzy Ann Stamps Jeri Watts
  • Last Stop on Market Street Matt de la Pena
  • Lemonade in Winter: A Book about Two Kids Counting Money Emily Jenkins
  • Lunch Money Andrew Clements
  • Merci Suarez Changes Gears Meg Medina
  • Millionaires for the Month Stacy McAnulty
  • Most Magnificent Thing (The) Ashley Spires
  • Ninth Ward Jewell Parker Rhodes
  • One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Difference Katie Smith Milway
  • One Little Brown Bag Henry Cole
  • Pa, Me, and Our Sidewalk Pantry Toni Buzzeo
  • Pictures at the Protest {The Virginia Mysteries Book 9) Steven K. Smith
  • Rock, Brock, and the Savings Shock Sheila Bair
  • Rosie Revere, Engineer Andrea Beaty
  • Save It! Cinders McLeod
  • Serafina's Promise Ann E. Burg
  • Shark Scam Sheila Bair
  • Shelter Christie Mateson
  • Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle Cathy Ballou Mealy
  • Someone Builds the Dream Lisa Wheeler
  • Spend It! Cinders McLeod
  • Stef Soto: Taco Queen Jennifer Torres
  • Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave Jen White
  • The Big Dark Rodman Philbrick
  • The Fabulous Fannie Farmer Emma Bland Smith
  • The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class: Emma Mckenna, Full Out Kate Messer
  • The Lemonade War Jacqueline Davies
  • The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read Rita Lorraine Hubbard
  • The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver Gene Barretta
  • Three Keys Kelly Yang
  • Tia Isa Wants a Car Meg Medina
  • Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre Carole Boston Weatherford
  • Water Day Margarita Engle
  • What Do They Do With All That Poo? Jane Kurtz
  • Watchdog Will McIntosh
  • Wednesday Wilson Gets Down to Business Bree Glbraith
  • What is Given from the Heart Patricia C. McKissak
  • What Pet Should I Get? Dr. Seuss
  • Whoosh!: Lonnie :Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions Chris Barton
  • Wilma’s Way Home Doreen Rappaport