SHE PLANTS A BUSINESS

A young girl starts her own business in this picture book about budding entrepreneurship.

When Amber overhears her parents talking about their budget being too tight to build her a treehouse, the girl is not sad—she wants to help. She asks them what her best skills are and calculates how to turn those strengths into a business. After she decides she’ll pot plants to sell, she asks her friend Jasmine to assist her. They produce potted plants for a local carnival, but the profits are not enough to make back Amber’s initial investment. They decide to expand to online sales and enlist their class to help. When Amber reaches her goal, it turns out her family’s money issues have been resolved, so she uses the profits to build a treehouse at her school for everyone to enjoy. Elzein breaks down the costs of starting a business as well as profits per unit in simple spreadsheets and equations throughout the appealing story, showing the math behind the project. But neither the author nor Amber accounts for the marketing costs or the value of labor. While Amber’s teacher praises her for having “a business mind and a kind heart,” the girl’s resolution to share the profits feels just rather than charitable, given all the labor her friends have contributed. Wang’s bright cartoon illustrations include a diverse group of kids with different skin tones and clothing styles (including a girl who wears a hijab).

An engaging and approachable introduction to starting a kid-sized business.