Leena Mo and her friends are building a snow fort outside when Leena’s mother comes out and asks Leena to shovel the snow before it got dark.
It just so happens that Leena deeply dislikes shoveling snow. As she shovels, she starts to daydream and problem-solve. What could she build that might solve this problem for her?
So begins the origins of Leena Mo, CEO, written by Deena Shakir and illustrated by Nez Riaz.
As she goes through the motions of dinner and teeth brushing, and as she is supposed to be sleeping, she is thinking of a possible solution. She is planning. She is designing. What could she build that might help her shovel drives, so she would not have to do that tedious work?
From her own hands, a robot emerges. She calls her creation “Helmy,” which is Arabic for “my dream.”
Helmy looks like a green penguin on skis and has a “carrot” nose and a light on its head. It turns out to be just the thing! It collects the snow in short order and clears the walkways with ease. His charming looks evoke affection from those in the neighborhood. But the robot’s skills are what is of special interest.
Suddenly, the neighborhood is electrified with the possibilities. A neighbor wants to be an investor. She has a check for Leena. Leena has to ramp up production to meet the demand from the neighbors and then from others farther away.
Leena Mo, CEO, emerges as a brilliant young mind with entrepreneurial potential.
This delightful children’s book is readable and accessible while still capturing some of the fundamentals of what it takes to invent and possibly start a company. The sense of child-like initiative is contagious.
Riaz’s drawings are lively and captivating. The children are red-cheeked, and the neighbors are friendly and encouraging. They treat Helmy like a beloved pet in some of the illustrations.
What does a CEO do? Where does a CEO find inspiration? How does a CEO create a customer base? How does a CEO raise capital? What does a CEO look like? Leena Mo, CEO broadens possibilities. It lets readers reconceptualize who can make positive changes in the world and innovate and make positive changes.
Shakir is an Iraqi-American venture capitalist. She lectures at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a graduate of Harvard and Georgetown universities. She was a leader at Google and the U.S. Department of State. Riaz is a Pakistani Palestinian illustrator based in Boston.
Shalin Hai-Jew has worked in higher education for many years. She has edited dozens of nonfiction educational books and authored a dozen with a number of publishers.
