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With the festive season around the corner, it’s time to think about taking a rest, putting your feet up, and perhaps spending some quiet time with a good book.

There are many really useful books about personal finance available. Here are three recommendations to keep you engaged during the holidays, or that might even make the perfect stocking stuffer.

The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape

This book makes the bold claim that it is “the only money guide you’ll ever need”. Spoiler alert: it probably isn’t. But it’s still a very good read.

Pape, who hails from Australia, offers a lot of really good practical advice for getting on top of your finances. One of the most important is to make sure you are talking about money within your household, even when those conversations are not always easy.

Many people, particularly in Australia, have responded to the simplicity Pape offers and the way he sets down guidelines that are easy to follow. It’s a great starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about how to manage their money.

Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even if You’re Not) by Beth Kobliner

Beth Kobliner is the author of a previous bestseller on personal finance, Get a Financial Life. In her second book, she gives parents an easy-to-read guide on how to speak to children about money, covering all ages from pre-schoolers to those starting their careers.

She explains how to involve your children in decisions about finances, and to teach them concepts like investing, opportunity cost and inflation from an early age. She also discusses the things you should and shouldn’t talk to your children about, and why comparisons with others can be so harmful.

Her advice is easy to implement, no matter how comfortable (or not) parents are with the subject. The book is a great, well laid out guide for parents who want to give their children a head start in life when it comes to understanding money.

Get Good With Money by Tiffany Aliche

Award-winning financial educator, Tiffany Aliche, used to be a pre-school teacher. And she retains her passion for education – only now her focus is on financial literacy for adults.

This book is about teaching the fundamentals and having a realistic picture of your financial situation. It sets out “10 steps for becoming financially whole” and provides step-by-step advice on putting them in place.

These small steps can make a big difference to anyone looking to improve their relationship with money. It’s a particularly good introduction for anyone who has no financial experience at all and just needs to understand where to start.

To discuss taking better control of your finances, speak to a professional.