Available now!

An all-new, all-awesome series about entrepreneurship for kids!

About The Series

Join Mia and Tiago as they shoot for the moon with their very own business venture!

Based on the research of Professor Saras Sarasvathy and presented by The LendingTree Foundation, this series uses entrepreneurship principles and stories of successful, real-world companies to teach kids how to think like entrepreneurs.

“I am just thoroughly delighted. I love the characters, the content, the beauty of the drawings… It’s just not one of those things you expect to happen in your career. How many academic theories have made their way to children’s books?” – Prof. Saras Sarasvathy

5-10 years

Grades K - 5

English

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Book 1

The Moonshots Contest is coming up and Mia and Tiago are trying to win a trip to outer space!

But they need a great idea—and where in the world are they supposed to find one of those? With sage advice from Edison Eagle, Mia and Tiago realize that great ideas often come from starting with what you have—who you are, what you know, and whom you know.

$ 14.95

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Book 2

Mia and Tiago have a BIG problem.

The Moonshots Contest is only weeks away and they have nowhere to build their skate park! But after talking with their friends Kiara and Noah, Mia and Tiago realize that the only way forward is to turn this lemon into lemonade.

$ 14.95

Book 3

And the hits just keep on coming.

It’s time for Mia and Tiago to build their garden for the Moonshots Contest, but everything is so expensive! Weed whackers, spades, shovels, and seeds—how will they ever afford it all without going broke? As usual, Edison Eagle swoops in with clutch words of wisdom, and Mia and Tiago learn that entrepreneurs don’t have to risk everything when starting a business, only what they can afford to lose.

Coming Soon

... And more coming soon!

Collaborators

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Gosia Glinska

Gosia Glinska is the Associate Director of Research Impact at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. She believes that entrepreneurship can be harnessed to improve people’s lives and address social problems, and that we should teach the entrepreneurial method to K-12 students to empower them to take charge of their own destinies. To that end, she has written Mia & Tiago based on the effectuation principles developed by Saras Sarasvathy.
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Saras Sarasvathy

Professor Saras D. Sarasvathy teaches at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Professor Sarasvathy is a leading scholar on high-performance entrepreneurship. Her work pioneered the logic of effectuation, a set of teachable and learnable principles used by expert entrepreneurs to build enduring ventures. She was awarded the 2022 Global Award for Entrepreneurship for her path-breaking research on entrepreneurial decision-making and the entrepreneurial process.
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Tomasz Pląskowski

Tomasz Pląskowski is a freelance illustrator. Tomasz creates illustrations for children and a lot more. Tomasz has worked on various projects for publications, magazines, and museum exhibitions.

LendingTree Foundation

The LendingTree Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that fosters financial health for all. Through community assistance and forward-thinking initiatives, the LendingTree Foundation enhances opportunities for entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and awareness of the social issues that affect our communities.

Reviews

What Parents Are Saying

In the media

The Darden Report article by Dave Hendrick, September 12, 2022 – New Book Series Takes Power of Effectuation to Kids. University of Virginia Darden School of Business Professor Saras Sarasvathy’s theory of Effectuation is a global phenomenon, the rare academic theory that seems to have equal influence in higher education and among individuals and organizations across the world.

BookTrib review by Cameron Kimball, October 18, 2022 – Young Entrepreneurs Shoot for the Stars in This Fun and Educational Read. From Girl Scouts selling cookies to kids trading Pokémon cards, it’s clear that the entrepreneurial spirit starts young. While it may be too early for them to be founding their own businesses, it’s never too soon to teach kids about the values and lessons of being an entrepreneur. By implementing this kind of enterprising thinking early, it sets kids on a path to success and self-confidence that will help them along every step of the way.

Resources

Resources for Parents & Teachers.

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The Lemonade Principle

Surprises happen all the time, especially when you’re launching a new company. Imagine you’re opening a new hotel, and you’re having an ice-sculpting contest for …

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The Bird-in-Hand Principle

How do you start a company? Do you start it with a GREAT IDEA? Experienced entrepreneurs START with WHAT THEY HAVE. How do we know …

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Mia & Tiago

An all-new, all-awesome series about entrepreneurship for kids!