Project Startup #1

Eat Bugs #1

by Heather Alexander, Laura D'Asaro, Rose Wang

“The perfect book for any young entrepreneur!” —Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and Shark Tank investor

Inspired by the incredible true story of two friends who landed a deal on Shark Tank . Sixth-grade students-turned-entrepreneurs are on a mission to save the world, one bug at a time, in this fun and empowering illustrated novel filled with facts!

Hallie and Jaye are two very different sixth graders who both attend Brookdale Middle School. When they get paired as partners for their business class pitch competition, it's not exactly a perfect match. Jaye doesn't want to be seen with the kid who was called "Bug Girl" after eating a fried cricket during a trip to the zoo! But they're stuck with each other, and together try to come up with creative ways to sell bugs as food. As the competition heats up, can Hallie and Jaye make the judges say "Bug appétit!" or will they only hear crickets?

Based on the true story of a sustainable protein start-up company, this relatable illustrated novel is a heartwarming reimagining for any middle-grade reader interested in STEM, entrepreneurship, or fitting in and finding friends. Bonus material includes a Cricket Cookie Recipe in the back of the book as well as an interview with the creators. Chirps founders Rose Wang and Laura D'Asaro met as freshmen at Harvard University and cooked up the concept of selling chips made with cricket flour to help Americans feel more comfortable eating bugs. Together, Rose and Laura appeared on the TV show Shark Tank to pitch their idea and landed a deal with Mark Cuban. Chirps chips are now sold in stores across the nation.

Genres: Middle Grade, Stem

224 pages, Hardcover

Published February 16, 2021

Reviews

[Book_R.E.C.S · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book Hallie and Jaye are two sixth graders who are paired together for a school business model project. Hallie who has been newly fascinated with eating bugs thinks this is the way to go, Jaye is not to sure. Slowly the girls begin to accept each other, work through their differences and eventually become friends! The story is told in both Hallie and Jaye's perspectives, which lets the reader into both their minds which I think was great. There is very realistic age appropriate middle grade struggles in this story. Hallie is dealing with losing a friend due to a move and is feeling quite only. Jaye is struggling to fit in and her relationship with her strict Chinese American family. I also liked the business part of the book, the story goes through in details how the girls work through the steps of their project, making logos and market testing etc..
I thought this book was very unique, interesting and fun. Kids will also learn about why eating bugs is good for the environment!

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story. It tells the story of two young girls thrown together to do a school project. The two girls are opposites and have a rough time working together. It is actually inspired by a real pair of young entrepreneurs who started their own company. I really enjoyed this book.

[Jill CD · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read about a weird topic. Kids grades 3 and up will enjoy.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story based on a true story of a start-up company.
Themes - friendship, being true to yourself, cooperation, and entrepreneurship.
Hallie is a loner, doesn't have too many friends, and is willing to try just about anything. Jaye just wants to fit in and ends up copying what the "cool" girls are doing even if it isn't something she really wants to do. The two are thrown together when their teacher pairs them up for a "pitch" project. After some false starts and a classmate stealing their idea, the girls compromise on edible bug business.
There is humor, compromise, and step by step process for starting up a business including budgets, marketing, surveys, and more. Backmatter tells about the cofounders of Chirps.