Mad Cash: A First Timer's Guide to Investing $30 to $3,000

For as little as $30, anyone can try their hand at investing, say Teenvestor authors Modu and Walker. Building on their previous book, the husband and wife team (he's a former v-p at J.P. Morgan Chase and Citibank, and she's an attorney) explains the basics--and some advanced techniques--of investing money in money market accounts, stocks, mutual funds and more. Targeted at the under-18 investor, Modu and Walker's advice is appropriately youth-oriented. For example, the section on goals asks readers if they're investing to save for a college education or a new car, or if they want to have""$100,00 by age 33."" A chapter on savings distinguishes between""plain-vanilla savings"" (e.g., savings and checking accounts) and""spiced up"" savings, such as CDs. Throughout, the authors explain concepts like index shares and profit margins and include worksheets and sidebars listing Web sites to help the younger set manage their finances.