Tyler & His Solve-A-Matic Machine: Teaching Kids Business and Entrepreneurship, Disney's Iparenting Media Award Winner

by Jennifer Bouani

Book Overview

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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977926508
• ISBN13: 9780977926503
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Bouje Pub
• Length: 118 Pages
• Weight: 0.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.3" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

A wonderful lesson in capitalism and entrepreneurship

Young Tyler Sogno has big dreams - he would like to buy a big boat, and sail all around the world. But, being an orphan, and a bit of a slacker, he knows that his dreams will never come true. However, when a disembodied voice tells him that there is a path to that brighter future, Tyler sits up and take notice. The voice tells him that to make his dreams come true, he must become an entrepreneur! What does Tyler have to do to become an entrepreneur? He (and we) are about to find out! This book is a wonderful lesson in capitalism, presented in the form of a story. I am tempted to say an allegorical story, but in fact few things are veiled here. This book teaches the young reader all about what it takes to become an entrepreneur, everything from coming up with a product, getting the patents, developing the plant, and hiring employees. I must admit, I wish I had had this book a couple of years ago. For a high school class, my nephew and some other students were supposed to develop the idea for a business to place on an island. They came up with exporting coconut bikinis and monkey butlers. They understood so little about what running a business meant, and this book would have told them. Overall, I think that this is a great book, one that should be required reading in all American schools! I give this book my highest recommendation. Oops, I almost forgot to mention...I love the characters in this book, especially the monkey J.J. Junglehammock, Attorney at Law. He cracked me up!

Great read and a wonderful story.

What makes a great book? What is that, that will capture a child's attention and make him read a 120 page book in less than 2 hours? Reading a book about an orphan child making his dream come true would just about cover it. Watching the journey that Tyler takes in this book captured my son and had him not just reading the pages but also involved in the storyline from beginning to end. The story is interesting, fun, easy to follow and most of all exciting making it fun to read. The plot takes you from one adventure to another and is keeps you wanting more from beginning to end. Tyler is a young man wanting to find a way to get his homework done so he starts his own business to solve this problem. What happens along the way is magical, from the monkey to the forest to the ocean - it is nothing short of one adventure after another. I watched my son turn page after page in a book that not only tells a story but also teaches the child lessons on never gibing up and following your dream. The author has an engaging style and makes the characters come out of the book and become part of life. Finding this book is the catch of the year. Take the time to have you child read this book and spend time together talking about it and you'll see how much reading can really be. My son is looking forward to the next book in the series and as a parent this is always a good thing. You can't be the price and it would make the perfect gift. This one is a keeper!

Jennifer Bouani and the Gift for Writing for Children

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. Grady Harp, March 07

Great Writing Style

I read the book to my class over a period of two weeks and they loved it, from the characters to the riddles. The kids have all agreed to write business plans based on what they captured fom the story. We all can't wait for your next hit. Millie Naston

Very Engaging Story

This is what my kid Ryan said of the book "The story is so great. It is set in this magical city called Nessibus. The characters are awesome and fun, I laughed hard and felt what they were going through. The story is full of riddles cool! You must read it to see how great it is"