This looks like the sort of thing I'd have mercilessly mocked when I was a kid.

I totally agree. But who knows maybe this generation will actually learn from entertainment, I know mine didn't, but there is always hope.

That may say more about you as a kid than about the show.

I'm pretty sure it says more about the show. I'm no expert, but I think the tone is strikes might work for younger children, but likely not very well for the older children I'd think they'd be targeting with investing education.

Given the subject matter I'm not sure how much better than this they could make it. But I must say it looks like they're trying a bit too hard to make this "cool" at times.

I'm not sure if public schools had book fairs and a bookmobile, but the school district I grew up in did. Presumably because the school got a cut of the sales, and it's hard to argue getting kids to read.

I can't remember the book for the life of me, but I had something that explained much of home economics and some very basic economics concepts at a 3rd or 4th grade level, rife with illustrations.

There's still books available such as "The Everything Kids' Money Book" and whatnot. One would assume they're written to be engaging to at least some portion of kids.