By: Michael H. and Jay Arrington Description: ISBN: 0-9764161-3-1. This is a very motivational and empowering story about kids learning how to work towards their dreams. This book encourages skill building and goal setting that kids will need as they grow up and become adults. Ages 8 and up. This is an inspirational book that the whole family will enjoy.
Published by Harper Arrington Publishing LLC
Michael Harper and Jay Arrington are the founders of StartingAClothingLine.com / Writers of The Official Step by Step Guide to Starting a Clothing Line.
The Little Entrepreneur Takes Flight Book Reviews
"This is an inspiring book for young people. It is a story about six kids who
were inspired to go after a dream. This dream was to be an entrepreneur and
build a business. One day at school, a young video game designer visited a
class. He opened their minds to a new idea. He inspired them because he was
young and doing what he loved to do everyday. This spurred Mary Kennedy to act.
She believed in herself and began to reach for her dream. This book is a
wonderful empowering tool for young people. It shows over and over again that
life is what we make of it. Children really do have the power within themselves
to reach their goals and dreams. It shows how six kids went the next step
beyond wishing for something. It shows how they begin planning with a step by
step method of how they were going to work towards reaching their goals. This
is truly inspirational and is something many adults could benefit from reading."
Reviewed by Qetesh of TCM Reviews (http://tcm-ca.com)
"After I finished reading The
Little Entrepreneur Takes Flight by Michael J. Harper and Jay Arrington, I
realized that this book could literally change lives. Children from ages 8 and up will find the
stories entertaining as they relate to the very believable characters. Within the pages, readers will find blueprints
for success, not only as little entrepreneurs but as human beings. Though the
primary topic is one designed to teach children how to start businesses and
follow their dreams, there are other subtle—and not-so-subtle—messages that are
directed toward all members of a family. If parents can manage to get this book
away from their children long enough to read it themselves, they will find that
it is the perfect way to initiate family conversations in which everyone
participates.
The story is unique in that it is told by Mary, a young
schoolgirl, who wants to be a successful writer. She tells her story in first person, writing
in age-appropriate language, and being totally honest with her thoughts and
feelings. The children who read this
book will like her as well as the other children whom they get to know. Perhaps,
in some way, they will come to identify with Mary Kennedy, Danny Thompson,
Isaiah Phillips, Maria Santiago, Sunni Kim or Vijay Abraham. Could it be that readers of The Little Entrepreneur Takes Flight have
goals and dreams comparable to those of the characters in this book? Could they
have a similar family life?
Mary describes how Jeff, a speaker at her school, shared
with the students how he started his own video game designing company when he
was 21 years of age. The entire class was impressed and excited, especially
when he talked about being his own boss and setting his own work schedule. He was an entrepreneur who had made his
dreams come true. Inspired by Jeff’s
success and her own desire to become a writer, Mary embarks on a project which
involves interviewing her friends to find out about their backgrounds and
interests. She hopes to learn what they
want to be when they grow up and understand why people do or don’t follow their
dreams.
As the story progresses, we see the results slowly unfold
and learn how enterprising her young friends are when it comes to their skills
and ideas. She finds herself encouraging
them to follow their dreams—to be what they want to be. At the same time, she also receives
encouragement in regard to her own desire to be a writer. As she interviews each of her friends, Mary
becomes increasingly aware how important it is for parents to support their
children in regard to their future goals.
What they say and do—or don’t say and do—greatly affects how their
children feel about their abilities and plans for the future. Some of her
friends have already been successful in their small businesses. She is excited for them and has confidence
that all will succeed.
After the interviews are completed, Mary’s teacher, Mrs.
Capital, gave her valuable input, explaining how important both faith and work
are to achieving success. She said that
being afraid of failure should not stop anyone from trying, because through
failure one could find success. Mrs.
Capital told the story of her own desire to be a teacher, and Mary was very
grateful for all that she shared with her.
Mary also sees her own father, after years of working as an employee,
reach out to fulfill his life-time dream of being an entrepreneur.
This powerful book gives some basic information on running
one’s own business, even providing an age-appropriate glossary. It also
encourages children by providing a list of famous and successful entrepreneurs
as examples. The following are just a
few names from the list: Bill Gates,
Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, Steven Spielberg, Thomas J. Watson, James Kimsey,
and Vera Wang. The authors remind
readers that successful entrepreneurs can be found in their own neighborhoods,
perhaps in their own families.
The Little Entrepreneur Takes Flight is educational as well as
entertaining. How could children not
relate to meeting in a great tree house where they have fun and engage in
lively discussions! This proved to be the perfect place for Mary to conduct her
interviews. Since the children felt as though they were running a business from
this place, they gave it a special name—The Headquarters.
This is truly a book that will encourage and inspire
children to become all that they can be.
My young grandchildren have already benefited from reading it and are
looking forward to the next book in this series which is entitled The Business Adventure Begins. This series of books is MUST reading for all
parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers, and, of course, children."
For IP Book Reviewers
Bettie Corbin Tucker
www.bookreviewers.org