Book Title: KidVenture: Twelve Weeks to Midnight Blue by Steve Searfoss
Category: Middle Grade Fiction (ages 8 - 12)
Genre: Fiction (Business Adventure Story)
Publisher: Self-Published/KDP, 125 pages
Release date: January 2020
Content Rating: G - I am a parent and pay close to attention to the media my children consume. I set out to write a book series that was clean and family friendly. KidVenture teaches the value of hard work, the importance of saving money, how essential it is to keep your word, and the need to find cooperative solutions with partners in order to be successful at business. This is a book that entertains but also educates and inspires.
Book Description:
Chance Sterling launches a pool cleaning business over the summer. Join Chance as he looks for new customers, discovers how much to charge them, takes on a business partner, recruits an employee, deals with difficult clients, and figures out how to make a profit. He has twelve weeks to reach his goal. Will he make it? Only if he takes some chances.
KidVenture stories are business adventures where kids figure out how to market
their company, understand risk, and negotiate. Each chapter ends with a challenge, including business decisions, ethical dilemmas and interpersonal conflict for young readers to wrestle with. As the story progresses, the characters track revenue, costs, profit margin, and other key metrics which are explained in simple, fun ways that tie into the story.
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
I wrote my first KidVenture book after years of making up stories to teach my kids about business and economics. Whenever they'd ask how something works or why things were a certain way, I would say, "Let's pretend you have a business that sells..." and off we'd go. What would start as a simple hypothetical to explain a concept would become an adventure spanning several days as my kids would come back with new questions which would spawn more plot twists. Rather than give them quick answers, I tried to create cliffhangers to get them to really think through an idea and make the experience as interactive as possible.
I try to bring that same spirit of fun, curiosity and challenge to each KidVenture book. That’s why every chapter ends with a dilemma and a set of questions. KidVenture books are fun for kids to read alone, and even more fun to read together and discuss. There are plenty of books where kids learn about being doctors and astronauts and firefighters. There are hardly any where they learn what it’s like to run small business. KidVenture is different. The companies the kids start are modest and simple, but the themes are serious and important.
I’m an entrepreneur who has started a half dozen or so businesses and have had my share of failures. My dad was an entrepreneur and as a kid I used to love asking him about his business and learning the ins and outs of what to do and not do. Mistakes make the best stories — and the best lessons. I wanted to write a business book that was realistic, where you get to see the characters stumble and wander and reset, the way entrepreneurs do in real life. Unlike most books and movies where business is portrayed as easy, where all you need is one good idea and the desire to be successful, the characters in KidVenture find that every day brings new problems to solve.
Review: Kids can start a business. Yes, they can! This is the story of how KidVenture got started.
It all began when a 10-year-old Chance wanted this bike—a midnight blue one. He was already getting paid $10 a week by his dad to clean their pool. How long would it take him to buy the bike? He really wanted to have it by the end of summer. In an effort to buy the bike, he starts his own pool-cleaning service. His goal was twelve weeks to midnight blue.
Enjoyed the story. I especially liked the questions it posed so that you could think about what you would do and how you can apply it to your own venture. Is there an easier way to find customers? Is it a good idea to ask for more money? Should you hire someone and cut your profit margins?
The business mode aspect really makes you think as it emphasizes the basic principles of business and the art of selling.
A good story and a great way to teach the value of money and the power of earning. Anyone can learn from this book. Highly recommended.
Rating: 5 stars
Tour Schedule:
Jan 11 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / author interview / giveaway
Jan 12 – Character Madness and Musing – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Jan 12 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Jan 13 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Jan 13 - Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Jan 14 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 18 - Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / author interview / giveaway
Jan 18 – A Mama's Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
Jan 19 – icefairy's Treasure Chest – book review / giveaway
Jan 20 – Sandra's Book Club – book review / giveaway
Jan 21 – @twilight_reader – book review / giveaway
Jan 24 – Books for Books – book review
Jan 25 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Jan 26 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Jan 26 - Lisa's Reading – book review / giveaway
Jan 27 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Jan 28 – Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Jan 31 – Kam's Place – book review
Enter the Giveaway:
KIDVENTURE: TWELVE WEEKS TO MIDNIGHT BLUE Book Tour Giveaway
Really neat book, cheers.
ReplyDeleteMy grandson would enjoy this book.
ReplyDeleteTwelve Weeks to Midnight Blue sounds like an excellent read for kids to enjoy! Thanks for sharing it with me! Thanks, Sandra, for sharing your review! Have a sunshiny day!
ReplyDeleteMy kids will enjoy this! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete