The Wonder Years

These books and resources will help get your budding entrepreneur on the right path.

• Camp Invention. Run by the Akron, Ohio-based National Inventors Hall of Fame, this day camp for elementary school children focuses on activities that develop creative problem solving, teamwork and inventive thinking.

• The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. This foundation partners with colleges, schools and youth organizations to train educators to offer entrepreneurial programs.

• Independent Means Inc. Based in Santa Barbara, California, Independent Means offers seminars, books, games and activities for teens, parents and mentors-all aimed at girls' entrepreneurship and financial independence.

• Junior Achievement. This organization educates young people about business, economics and free enterprise using volunteers in class and after school. Junior Achievement offers plenty of advice online, too.

• Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Program in Business Inc. A national organization based in Philadelphia, LEAD is a partnership of businesses and academic institutions that encourages minority high school students to pursue careers in business.

• Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE). SAGE is an international network that links teams of secondary school students to nearby university student mentors to advance global entrepreneurship in an ethical and socially responsible manner. To set up a tournament in your area, visit the SAGE Web site.

• Y&E magazine. Especially for teen entrepreneurs, this magazine offers advice, stories of other young businesspeople, quizzes and links to other resources.

• Youth Venture. Based in Arlington, Virginia, Youth Venture helps young people ages 12 to 20 to launch and lead their own ventures that give back to their community and enrich the lives of those less fortunate.

• 101 Marvelous Money-Making Ideas for Kids by Heather Wood. Off-the-beaten-track ideas for tween/teen businesses, as well as special sections on negotiating, pricing and resumes.

• Better Than a Lemonade Stand: Small Business Ideas for Kids by Daryl Bernstein, for ages 9 to 12. Written by a 15-year-old, this book offers both classic and new ideas for businesses kids can run, the supplies needed, what to charge and how to advertise.

• How to Be a Teenage Millionaire by Art Beroff and T.R. Adams. Real-life young entrepreneurs provide the examples as teens learn about record-keeping, cash flow, and other elements critical to starting their own businesses.

• The Kid's Guide to Money: Earning It, Saving It, Spending It, Growing It, Sharing It by Steve Otfinoski, for ages 9 to 12. Entertaining explanations of jobs, business, banks, budgeting, spending, taxes and investing.

• Whiz Teens in Business: Enjoy Yourself While Making Money, A Simple and Complete Guide for Teenagers to Starting and Managing Their Small Business by Danielle Vallee. Teen topics such as establishing credibility, finding financial backing, balancing work and school demands and managing parental involvement.

• The Young Entrepreneur's Guide to Starting and Running a Business by Steve Mariotti. Information about business opportunities, managing money, using the Web and doing business ethically, all underscored by case studies of noteworthy entrepreneurs.

Julie Bick is the bestselling author of books including All I Really Need to Know in Business I Learned at Microsoft. Visit her Web site at www.juliebick.com.

This article was originally published in the March 2004 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: The Wonder Years.