8 Books to Inspire Your Child to Become an Entrepreneur

“The future belongs to a very different kind of people with a very different kind of mindset; people who are creators, big-picture thinkers, empathizers, and meaning makers,” writes Mary Joy Canon-Abaquin, Ed.M., in her book 8 Simple Secrets to Raising Entrepreneurs. 

If you’re hoping that your child becomes a successful entrepreneur someday, stop hoping. Do something about it! Inspire your child to be all the things mentioned by Canon-Abaquin with these books. 

For young readers

1. Papa’s Mechanical Fish

For children ages 4 to 8
Part of being an entrepreneur is thinking up ideas; ideas that nobody has thought of yet, crazy, creative ideas that have a sparkle inside them. Papa’s Mechanical Fish tells the story of a dad whose inventions always seem to fail, but that’s because he hasn’t found the perfect idea yet. Encourage your child to think up his own ideas and improve on existing ones through this funny book filled with edible socks, steam-powered roller skates and mechanical fishes.

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2. What Do You Do With An Idea? 

For children ages 3 and up
This is the story of a little boy who one day had an idea. Little by little his confidence grows and his idea grows with him. Reading this will teach your child that ideas are to be pursued and nurtured. They’re also wonderful seeds that sprout into the biggest, most amazing things. 


3. The Most Magnificent Thing 

For children ages 3 to 7
A young girl wants to make the most magnificent thing! She already knows how it will look, how it will work and all she has to do is make it. She soon finds however that making it isn’t all that easy. At one point, she even quits! This wonderful story will teach your child determination, perseverance and vision; all good qualities of a great entrepreneur. 

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4. Big John

Ask a Filipino what they know about John Gokongwei Jr. and the answers will range from Cebu Pacific, Jack ‘n Jill, Robinsons Malls or Sun Cellular. Filipinos know him as this big business mogul. He’s Big John. The Big John. Few know, however, that he started from the very bottom, with very little money. Teach your child that a great man or woman can come from anywhere. 


5. Nanay Coring

Nanay Coring is the perfect role model for little girls looking to be entrepreneurs. As a child, Socorro “Nanay Coring” Ramos had to wrap bubble gum at a factory, curl other people’s hair at a beauty salon and sew buttons on shirts at a clothing factory so she could buy school supplies. But now, she owns over 150 branches of the country’s largest bookstore, National Bookstore. This book tells the story of how she did it. 

For older kids

6. The Lemonade War

For children ages 7 to 10
Brother and sister, Evan and Jessie, are right smack in the middle of a war, a lemonade war. Evan is good at talking with people but Jessie is great at math. Each has their own lemonade stand and each wants to out-sell the other. Filled with kid-friendly marketing tips, business terms and definitions, and math problems, this novel makes a great introduction to money making; not to mention that the story is also an absolute winner. 

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7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

For children ages 8 to 12
We often hear of big businessmen who are mean and greedy, people who will do anything to get to the top and make more money than anyone else. However, more than anything, we need to teach children that success also comes to people who are kind and generous. And, that is exactly what the title character of this book is like. 


8. The Toothpaste Millionaire

For children ages 10 to 12
Rufus Mayflower, a sixth-grader, bets he can save on toothpaste. He says he can make a gallon of his own at the price of one toothpaste tube from the store. He sets up his production plan and by two years he's a millionaire! The word “business” can intimidate any child but this book makes the B-word sound like tremendous fun. 

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