Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2019 Gr 3–6—In this installment of the series, Sichol presents the story of Nike. Opening with founder Phil Knight's childhood, the work presents highlights of his life, taking him from an athlete and track star to an MBA student at Stanford Graduate School of Business to, eventually, the leader of Nike. While taking an entrepreneurship class, Knight developed a business plan to manufacture specialty running shoes in Asia and sell them in the United States. While working full-time as an accountant, Knight partnered with his college track coach to turn his idea into a reality. Sichol chronicles the transformation of Nike from a small company with an initial $1,000 investment to a multibillion dollar international corporation. While the company made strides with grassroots marketing, its connection with an advertising agency and athlete endorsements made it the monolith it is today. Readers will enjoy the details about athletes such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Lance Armstrong and strategies behind their endorsement deals. Business concepts such as "going public" are explained in special sections. Quotes and "fun facts" add interest. A list of top endorsement deals and source notes are also included. VERDICT This enjoyable informational text is a great purchase for schools with Career Tech Ed departments.—Erica Thorsen, Albemarle High School, VA - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 03/01/2019 The jaunty covers of the From an Idea to . . . series (2 titles) set the tone for these light but informative books. Each volume begins biographically, introducing the company’s founder during his childhood and following his education, early jobs, and determination to start and build a company. Gradually, the focus switches to the company itself and its growth and changes through the years. In addition to the story of Phil Knight founding an athletic shoe company with his college track coach, From an Idea to Nike includes several fascinating tales of endorsement deals with young athletes whose careers took off—and so did the company’s fortunes. Sichol’s very readable texts support her belief that kids can understand business-related ideas and find them interesting. And with an MBA, she is well qualified to clarify financial terms quickly; additionally, both volumes contain double-page spreads explaining what it means for a company to go public and why stock prices fluctuate. Throughout the books, upbeat drawings add a child-friendly look. An appealing series combining biography, history, and financial literacy. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.