Smart Mom, Rich Mom

Starred review from June 13, 2016
There's a desperately needed dose of practical feminism in Palmer's (The Economy of You) excellent book, which targets middle-class women in their childbearing years, an often neglected audience for financial advice. Without insulting her readers' intelligence, Palmer pitches her advice at a basic level for women who may not have had previous guidance in developing financial-management skills. Her approach is creative and lifelong, advising readers who take time off to care for young children or aging parents to lobby for the flexible work hours and tasks they need, become entrepreneurs, or maintain their skills and contacts through freelance gigs, volunteering, or blogging. Beyond offering the same advice to women that men have been getting for decades, Palmer takes a family-oriented approach that includes ideas such as planning to have babies during more flexible periods of employment and choosing gender-neutral baby clothing for easier reuse. She urges modeling good money habits for daughters as well as sons and includes a dozen detailed "talking points" for building financial literacy with one's kids. This invaluable resource does much more than fill a niche; it bridges a huge gap. Agent: Melissa Sarver White, Folio Literary Management.