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

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

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

Gosia Glinska

Saras Sarasvathy

Tomasz Pląskowski

LendingTree Foundation
Reviews
What Parents Are Saying
Mia and Tiago Learn How Expert Entrepreneurs Think and Act
The story of Mia and Tiago’s entrepreneurial quest, engagingly told by Glinska and delightfully illustrated by Plaskowski, will introduce young children to an inspiring way of thinking, one that expert entrepreneurs practice while building successful ventures.
This book is the first in a series in which each story highlights a separate entrepreneurial principle. Together, the series will provide young readers with a powerful toolkit that they can draw from for the rest of their life.
For the curious parent: the entrepreneurial principles underlying these stories are part of a framework known as effectuation. Prof Saras Sarasvathy developed the framework based on rigorous empirical research more than two decades ago (when she was doing her Ph.D. at Carnegie Mellon University under Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon’s supervision). A growing global community has since been advancing the practice and research of effectuation in new directions.
Parent
Amazon Customer
How Real Entrepreneurs Get Started!
Parent
Amazon Customer
Great Series! Highly Recommend for Future Business Kids (6-11ish)
My kids LOVE starting their own little businesses (selling lemonade, crafts, old toys, etc.) so I thought I’d get them these books. The simple yet expert entrepreneurial tips that kids can apply themselves, coupled with real-life examples got them hooked quickly. The only downside is, each book leaves a cliff hanger to the next, so get ready to buy all 7 books. 🙂
Parent
Amazon Customer
Makes a Complicated Topic Fun for Kids
Parent
Amazon Customer
Kids are very enthusiastic, but sometimes they get discouraged quickly too when they hit roadblocks. If you think your kids could learn how expert entrepreneurs turn negatives to advantages, this book is for them! The actual real life example plus the engaging storyline makes it easy for parents to talk about this to kids and to help them become more adaptable to changing reality. I’m going to read and re-read this book with my kids! Eager for the next one!
Parent
Amazon Customer
My 7 year old daughter loved this book and wants to read the next one, the Lemonade Principle…What I like about this series is that it draws on scientific research. The principles of entrepreneurship in those books are based on a scientific study of successful serial entrepreneurs. Saras Sarasvathy, the professor who developed those principles is an expert in high-performance entrepreneurship with a global following.
Parent
Amazon Customer
Very clear lesson that will satisfy the young, aspiring entrepreneur in your life! Illustrations and story are adorable.
Parent
Amazon Customer
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.
The Lemonade Principle
The Bird-in-Hand Principle
Coming soon!
Latest on YouTube
Mia & Tiago
An all-new, all-awesome series about entrepreneurship for kids!