Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game


Children - Grade K-3rd
38 Pages
Reviewed on 06/06/2023
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Author Biography

Anthony Delauney is a financial advisor, a franchise business owner, and the author of several financial education books in the Owning the Dash series: Applying the Mindset of a Fitness Master to the Art of Family Financial Planning (2019), The No-Regrets Retirement Roadmap (2021), Dash and Nikki and the Jellybean Game (2021), Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work (2022), Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet (2023), and Michael and Hannah and the Magical Money Tree (forthcoming.)

Anthony has worked in the financial services industry since 2003, helping families develop financial plans that comprehensively address their broad range of goals and dreams, including cash flow management, debt elimination, protection planning, new home purchases, family planning, small business planning, education and retirement planning, investment education, and estate planning. He has acquired the professional certifications of Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner, Chartered Financial Consultant®, Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM, Retirement Income Certified Professional®, and Behavioral Financial Advisor™. He has made it his professional mission to help families make sense of and manage every aspect of their financial lives.

On a personal front, Anthony has been married to his wife, Laura, since 2006, and they have two children, Abbie and Jason. The Delauneys have a deep passion for helping growing families and a strong charitable focus on children’s hospitals.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers' Favorite

Anthony C. Delauney wrote Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game to teach kindergarten to third-grade children about saving for the future. Dash and Nikki are brother and sister. One day at breakfast, they find 10 jellybeans near their plates. Their parents give them a challenge: they can eat all the jellybeans now or wait. If they wait, they’ll get more jellybeans later. Nikki ate all her beans almost immediately, but Dash held onto his and received the promised more jellybeans. But he thinks of a way to help his sister—he’ll lend her some jellybeans if she promises to pay him back with interest. Nikki agrees and she receives more jellybeans as the day goes on, with both children getting more jellybeans in the end. Delauney is a financial advisor; he wrote this rhyming book to teach children the value of saving as well as helping others. The book is illustrated by Chiara Civati. This is the first book in Delauney’s Owning the Dash series of children’s books.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game. The rhyming made the book fun to read, but more importantly, the book teaches valuable lessons to children. Many parents want to teach their kids financial lessons but struggle because the kids don’t want to be lectured. This book accomplishes the purpose in an entertaining way that will stick with children. Delauney says that the book is for kindergarten to third-grade children, which is a perfect time to start teaching finances. The illustrations by Chiara Civati are beautiful and fit the accompanying text perfectly. I highly recommend this book to children, parents, and grandparents. My own children would have loved the book when they were young, and they would have learned some valuable lessons.

Luwi Nyakansaila

Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game is a children’s picture book written by Anthony C. Delauney with illustrations by Chiara Civati. The story follows Dash and Nikki, siblings who wake up to a surprise when they find a note attached to floating balloons. The note contains instructions on how to play a game that involves multiplying jellybeans. Jellybeans are Dash’s favorite treat. Therefore, this gives him the determination to win the game. Nikki, on the other hand, seems disinterested but later regrets her choice to ignore the game rules. Dash feels sad for his sister because she looks defeated and unhappy. Hence, he decides to join forces with her so that they can both win the game. Join Dash and Nikki as they have fun playing the jellybean game.

Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game is a cute story that will teach children about patience, delayed gratification, and compassion. The rules of the jellybean game were simple; the more you wait, the more you will get. Dash understood that applying patience and control was the key to victory. He went further and used a creative idea to increase his chances of winning the game. His compassion was also evident when he helped Nikki. Anthony C. Delauney did a good job of presenting all these lessons in a fun and creative way that children can understand and relate to. He uses rhyming sentences and colorful words to tell the story. The book contains beautiful illustrations depicting lovely characters and a cozy home. I recommend parents and guardians read this book and have fun by trying out the jellybean game with their children.

Savannah Aldridge

Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game written by Anthony C. Delauney and illustrated by Chiara Civati teaches children about the power of patience and working together. Siblings Dash and Nikki awake one morning to find the setup of an intriguing game. Each sibling begins the day with a plate of jellybeans. If they can resist eating them, more beans will be added to their plate every hour until the end of the day; if they cannot resist, no more beans will be added to an empty plate, and they will need to ask the other sibling for help. While Dash discovers a way to resist temptation, Nikki quickly eats all her jellybeans. Dash is happy to be winning but feels something is not right when he sees how sad his sister is at her mistake. The siblings devise a plan to bring Nikki back into the game and work together to win the giant jar of jellybeans at the end of the evening.

Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game is another fantastic educational addition to the Owning the Dash Kids’ Book collection! Chiara Civati’s bright and expressive illustrations and Anthony C. Deluaney’s creative rhymes will delight young readers as they learn patience, trying again, and teamwork to achieve a goal. I appreciated seeing Dash's and Nikki’s different emotions play out as Nikki felt remorse for eating her jellybeans and being out of the game. Dash felt proud and superior for discovering a way to succeed and empathy for his sister when he saw her sadness. The ending of this story is satisfying and helps children see that this jellybean game is about more than earning candy. A great read for beginners to try on their own and an even better read for story time and discussion with their grownups.

Maria Victoria Beltran

Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game is the first book in the Owning the Dash Kids’ Book series by Anthony C. Delauney. Illustrated by Chiara Civati, this award-winning book is written for children in grades K-3. The story unravels as siblings Dash and Nikki woke up one morning to a surprise prepared for them by their mother. Nicki found a note in her bed, but before she had time to read it, their mother called them to the breakfast table, where they found a jar stacked with jellybeans, their favorite treat. The jar is tightly sealed, and looking for a clue, Nikki remembers the note. True enough, it contains instructions on playing the Jellybean Game, designed to teach them an important lesson about financial responsibility. Read on and join Dash and Nikki in playing the Jellybean Game and have lots of fun!

Anthony C. Delauney’s Dash and Nikki and The Jellybean Game is a delightful book that shares an important lesson about financial responsibility. Beautifully illustrated, it is definitely an educational and entertaining experience for young readers. The pacing is well-balanced, which should keep young readers engaged from start to finish. Dash and Nikki find themselves in a friendly rivalry, where they challenge each other in various aspects of the game. The siblings’ enthusiasm is contagious, making this book an interactive and vivid tale. Children can learn with Dash and Nikki the importance of saving for the future and the value of collaboration. Ultimately, this book is ideal for parents and teachers who want to introduce young children to the concept of saving and responsible financial habits.

Michaela Gordoni

In Dash and Nikki and the Jellybean Game by Anthony C. Delauney, Dash and his little sister Nikki wake up to a pleasant surprise. At the breakfast table are two empty plates, a jar of jellybeans, and a note their mom and dad left. The game goes like this: They will start with 10 jellybeans and get more each hour, but only if they don’t eat them, and at the end of the day, they’ll have a whole pile of jellybeans to eat. But resisting the temptation of sweet treats is not easy! Dash and Nikki might have to work together to win this game.

Dash and Nikki and the Jellybean Game is the first book in the Owning the Dash Kids’ Book financial series. It is a good lesson on patience and a great introductory lesson to investing. Money concepts are sometimes a bit difficult for youngsters to grasp. Anthony C. Delauney has demonstrated a great way for even very young children to learn the value of waiting for a bigger reward. Delayed gratification is something that will serve children well throughout their lives. Anthony writes with skill—it's not easy to rhyme numerous paragraphs about a particular theme as he does. I also think it's great that the author has structured the book to show how parents can also easily set up this game for their kids. It’s a great example of how patience does pay off!