Tyler & His Solve-a-Matic Machine (Future Business Leaders' Series™)
Every so often a new writer surfaces who along with the company of the likes of Roald Dahl, EB White, CS Lewis and others has the talent to speck to children about things adult in a manner that is not only informative and correct intelligently, but at the same time keeps in mind the importance of molding the realm of fantasy and tales that still focus the attention of all of us. Jennifer Bouani has the gift and in TYLER & HIS SOLVE-A-MATIC MACHINE she bows on stage as a skilled thinker and a consummate communicator. Billed as a part of a series for 'Future Business Leaders', this story is told through the palpably real ten year old orphan Tyler Sogno who dreams of sailing around the world to meet all peoples. His daydreaming for his lost sailor father distracts him form his studies and he comes up with the idea of building a machine that will make homework a snap - the Solve-a-matic machine. Tyler 'meets' the spiritual guardian Soté, the Great Spirit of the Entrepreneurs form the land of Profits, who introduces Tyler to the prospects of becoming an entrepreneur, instructing and supporting him as to how to accomplish his dream. Then with a deft hand at creating whimsy that is pertinent and smart (Tyler lives in a metropolis called 'Nessibus', a reconstructed version of 'Business' - for example) Bouani sets tasks using the elevators of skyscrapers on top of which are penthouses to aid Tyler and friends on the journey to success. In the end Soté congratulates Tyler on his perilous adventure: You have succeeded in creating your Solve-a-matic company before sunrise. You have learned many lessons along the way. You have found your confidence, learned to be organized, and devoted yourself to your work. You have learned to be resourceful and have unleashed your imagination on the world. You've learned to lead and to take risks; And the lessons learned are soundly basic and richly entertaining in the introduction of all manner of animal life and wild adventures. This book is aimed at the age 9 to 12 group, but the book is so full of well-conceived steps to take in making something of a dream that it is fodder for much older wannabe entrepreneurs! Highly sophisticated writing and a true pleasure to read. --Amazon.com Top 10 Reviewer: Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) March 2007Fascinating book! This is a fast-moving, suspenseful adventure sure to capture the interest of intermediate-aged readers.--Dr. Darlene W. Daffin, Elementary Administrator, Trinity Presbyterian School.--Amazon.com Top 10 Reviewer: Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) March 2007Developing the human capital of young Americans is vital to keep America s entrepreneurial economy growing. An important goal in our kids education should be to infuse early on entrepreneurial skills, such as opportunity-recognition and risk-taking. This book contributes to this goal. The story takes the young reader on an adventure much like that of a real-life entrepreneur learning lessons in an interactive and engaging way. As Tyler works to develop his idea into a business, each problem he faces is cleverly put into a riddle, giving both Tyler and the reader an opportunity to develop creative-thinking and problem-solving skills. These are vital skills for young people to have, whether or not they end up becoming entrepreneurs. At the same time, tangible business lessons are learned, such as how to find capital, how to negotiate wages, and when to trust a business partner.  In the future, more than any time in history, in their passion to do good and do well, young people will get involved at some point in their career in a start-up.  The intellectual lessons in this book will help a new generation of entrepreneurs, so that they may be inspired to unleash their ideas and make a difference in their world.I am totally in favor of the concept behind this first book in a series for young people about how business operations are performed. The targeted audience is children in the 9-12 age range. As long as it is properly executed, it is an idea that will prove invaluable to the future of the world. Tyler is an orphan; his father owned a boat and was killed while working on it. Since that time, his ambition has been to get his own boat so that he could travel to whatever waters his whim told him to explore. However, like everything in life, boats cost money and Tyler has none. Fortunately, he is in a wishbone pulling contest with his buddy Jake and he emerges victorious. Tyler's wish is granted, but he must work for it. The Great Spirit of the Entrepreneurs arrives and issues a challenge that he must accept and meet within a few hours. His challenges all involve solving the business problems that one faces when developing and marketing a new product. The product is the Solve-a-matic machines, which wondrously does your homework for you. The story is an excellent one for young people, not only is it fun to read, but they also learn something. Problems such as keeping your intellectual property safe, setting the price of your product, dealing with labor issues and delegating responsibility are all solved as Tyler finally achieves the boat of his dreams. There are simple riddles, animal characters such as the pirate parrots who try to steal his plans and some good friends made along the way. If this book had existed when my daughter was young enough to enjoy it, I would have insisted that she read it. --Amazon.com Top 50 Reviewer: Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) March 2007 --Jonathan Ortmans | Senior Fellow, Kauffman FoundationAs an organization that focuses on teaching young people about entrepreneurship, parents frequently ask us for additional resources they can use at home.  Tyler & His Solve-a-Matic Machine is an easy, fun way for parents to spark and foster children s entrepreneurial spirit.  Children relate to the engaging characters and understand that they too can make their dreams into reality.Imaginative and fun for the bright young reader. This is a great introduction to the concept of entrepreneurship. -- John Walter Drake, Senior Partner- McCurdy & Candler Law FirmMy son related immediately to Tyler, the boy in this book, a kid who has trouble getting his homework done and spends too much time daydreaming. What kid doesn't deal with those challenges from time to time? Tyler also longs to travel the world and have great adventures. He's tired of his everyday life and he also happens to be an orphan so he feel particularly alone and hopeless. Making his dreams come true seems a very remote possibility until..one day.. Tyler finds a wishbone, makes a wish and...pooof! he gets in touch with the Great Spirit of the Entrepreneurs, who guides him as he learns the basics of becoming an entrepreneur, from his dream of a Solve-a-matic machine to actual production and sales. But first he has to find the KEYS; to get to the top of a 100 story building by a looming deadline. Can he do it? It is quite a challenge and my son wondered how Tyler was going to meet the challenge. While on his adventure, Tyler develops skills useful to all budding business people, including patience, confidence, problem-solving, flexibility, trying alternative solutions, marketing his product and much more. My son was riveted by the various mysteries and puzzles Tyler had to solve to get the KEYS; to get to the top of a hundred story building. Along the way, he learns the basics of becoming a successful entrepreneur and my son and I discussed those skills as we read this book. It is written in such a lively and fun style that I'm not even sure he realized how much he was learning! Unlike many financial or business books written for children, this one approaches kids from their level - with an engaging story, plenty of mystery and suspense and a thorough look at what it takes to go from budding entrepreneur to having a solid business plan. I asked my son what he thought of the book when we finished it and he said; I learned about what it takes to succeed in business and that you should be patient, do your research and stick with it. You can't give up easily and you have to know how to market what you make; I was impressed. --Amazon.com Top 100 Reviewer: By K. Corn (Indianapolis,, IN United States) - June 2006 --Jack Harris | President, Junior Achievement of Georgia