It’s high time the age-old question of what you want to be when you grow up has a creative answer. Enter new children’s author Eric Steimle’s debut, Jason Squirrel Starts a Company. This pithy picture book shows young readers that there’s business to attend to, and what entrepreneurship is all about. Jason Squirrel has grown tired of lugging bags of nuts everyday. If only there were someone to help shoulder the load, he could have more time to do the things he really wants to do. Jason turns to Stan the Banking Turtle who warns him that his plan is too risky. In fact, Jason’s best forest friends also think his scheme is a little bit nutty. Still, Jason keeps at it, and learns all there is to know about financing, marketing, staffing, and overcoming the challenges of starting a business, including how it feels to have a lack of support and encouragement from his forest friends. Sarah Rabbit, who acts as an angel investor, leads the way, Frog helps with an exit strategy—which all smart business owners should have—and before long, Jason is able to hire a team of raccoons to handle the nut gathering and nut hauling. He’s in business! Proving that entrepreneurs need to be dogged and pragmatic, with a sense of adventure, this educational reader wins big points for introducing children to the possibility of starting, running, and owning their own business.
