Our Mission Statement

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At Sprouting Sparks, we’re on a mission to ignite financial curiosity in young minds and nurture the growth of money-savvy individuals. Through our vibrant engaging children’s books and activities, we bring the world of finance to life for kids aged 3-8.

We believe that financial literacy is a superpower, and we’re committed to making it fun, accessible, and impactful. By planting the seeds of financial knowledge early, we aim to foster a generation of confident, independent and financially empowered individuals who will shape a brighter economic future.

Photo by SLM Images

Meet the Author

Bridging Finance and Children’s Education

Shireen is the founder of Sprouting Sparks and a passionate storyteller who mixes financial wisdom with a dash of motherly love to create engaging children’s books about financial literacy. As the daughter of Indian immigrants, she learned early on from her dad—a physician from humble beginnings—that smart money choices can lead to a life of possibilities (and of course the occasional splurge!). His lessons inspired her to embark on a 20-year career in the world of investments, where she had some pretty exciting moments—like ringing the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) bell not once, but twice!

But the biggest adventure of all? Stepping away from Wall Street to embrace her role as a stay-at-home mom. While raising her family, Shireen dove into philanthropy, advocating for vulnerable and disadvantaged children around the world, and volunteering at her local schools. She’s served on non-profit boards and was even nominated for MASK’s “Mom’s Making a Difference Unity Award” for her volunteer work helping special needs kids in the public school system.

Now, Shireen has traded in her spreadsheets for storybooks and is on a mission to make financial literacy as fun as a trip to the candy store through her FinTale$ book series. With a business degree from The Ohio State University, an MBA with honors from Suffolk University, executive education from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Columbia Business School, held Series 7 and 63 licenses, an NFEC Certified Financial Education Instructor℠, and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she’s all about empowering young minds with knowledge and the confidence to be the next generation of financially savvy kids!

When she’s not crafting stories, you can find Shireen exploring new places, enjoying music, spending time with family and friends, or cheering on her beloved Ohio State Buckeyes alongside her college sweetheart and husband of 28 years and their two adult (albeit Hoosier) sons.

  • Photo by SLM Images
  • Photo by SLM Images

    • Meet the Illustrator

    Yogesh Mahajan is a talented artist based in Mumbai, India, known for his versatility as a storybook illustrator and animation film designer. He serves both national and international clients, offering illustration services for print, animated TV shows, and mobile games. His unique crayon art style, specifically designed for children’s books, showcases his passion and dedication, resulting in a loyal and expanding clientele.

    Yogesh has been an illustrator at Bear With Us Productions for several years and they have illustrated and created many award-winning children’s books together.

    Learn more at https://www.justbearwithus.com/ and http://www.animationwalayogi.in/

    From thought to Illustration

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    For years of volunteering with foster children, I realized many of these kids were missing out on crucial conversations with their parents that most of us take for granted – especially when it comes to money.

    I vividly remember my own childhood, where my father would sit me down and talk about finances and stress the importance of financial security. Those conversations shaped my educational path into business and ultimately my career in investments. However, as I spoke with many parents I realized that this revelation wasn’t limited to foster kids as most kids weren’t having these vital financial discussions at home regardless of their family situation. It was a glaring gap in their education that I felt compelled to address.

    The importance of early financial education can’t be overstated. Research has consistently shown that children who are exposed to money management concepts at a young age make smarter financial choices as adults. These early lessons shape their spending habits and build a strong foundation for their financial future.

    Yet, despite the clear benefits, many states still don’t mandate personal finance courses for graduation, let alone teach these concepts to younger children. This lack of formal education further fueled my determination to make a difference.

    That’s when the idea for my children’s book series FinTale$ (short for Financial Tales) was born. I wanted to create accessible, engaging stories that could introduce basic financial literacy concepts to all children. My goal was to ensure that these books would be available in schools and libraries, reaching kids who might not have these conversations at home.

    By writing these books, I’m not just telling stories – I’m providing a tool for parents, teachers, and mentors to start important conversations about money. I believe that financial literacy is one of life’s most valuable skills, and every child deserves the chance to learn it.

    Helping vulnerable and disadvantaged children has always been a passion of mine and something I’ve volunteered with for well over a decade. In addition, I teach the importance of “sharing” and giving back in my books so I would be remiss if I didn’t practice what I preached.   

    Right now my books are focused on children aged 3-8. 

    My stories parallel my own life and those of my children when they were younger, so with the help of an amazing illustrator, we showcase those engaging and relatable stories in bright colorful characters and settings that hopefully make you want to turn the page. We also have free downloadable activities to make what they’ve learned fun. Check them out on our website!

    Absolutely! The themes are all aligned with the Council of Economic Education.

    They do. Being a naturalized US citizen myself (my parents and I immigrated from India when I was 3 ½ years old), many of the stories I write have parallels to my own life so you’ll see women in traditional Indian clothing and possibly read unfamiliar words and/or names.  

    First, they can start by employing these same strategies in their own lives so their children learn by example and not just from reading my books or similar ones. Second, they should explore my website and visit my social media pages to get ideas on how to expose and teach those financial lessons in their everyday life. See links below …  

    Instagram

    Facebook    

    “Sorting her money into three piggy bank jars, Sahana labeled them ‘Save,’ ‘Spend,’ and ‘Share’—a system she came up with by watching how her own parents managed their money.”

    I like this line because it serves as a reminder to parents that our kids are watching us and our financial habits and decisions.

    As a little girl, I played the piano and my father always spoke to me about money, our financial situation and the importance of helping others, so the storyline has many parallels to my own life.

    I do because Sahana is basically ME as a young girl!   

    Bear With Us Productions (a great organization I highly recommend if you’re looking to publish a children’s book) showed me several amazing illustrators from around the globe that they work with, but I chose Yogesh based on his fun, clever, and colorful crayon like illustrations.  

    With a little hard work, patience and financial savvy, dreams can come true!

    My hope is that any and every child aged 3-8 has an opportunity to read this book or any financial literacy-inspired book for that matter.  

    My boys are now adults with both working in the field of business/finance (I guess teaching them early about financial literacy rubbed off). Anyway, they loved the book and its characters and said they can’t wait for the next book to come out because it’s actually about them! 😊 

    That it’s not as easy as it seems!

    Yes, having had an educational background and career in investments, writing a book on basic financial literacy concepts came naturally. 

    10% of all profits will go to non-profit organizations supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
    Thank you for joining me in making a difference!

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