The Milestone Plumbing team is accustomed to answering questions from curious children when they’re on the job, and now they have a fun new way to answer. Founder Jessie Cannizzaro has commissioned a 32-page story and activity book for kids that is designed to encourage their curiosity and promote careers in the trades.

Titled “Milestone Plumbing: A Rewarding Career,” the book features line drawings that can be colored, plus puzzles, activities and even a recipe. A smiling, pig-tailed girl appears on the cover and narrates a story about Alex, a Milestone plumber who visits her house to fix a sink. Alex and the other characters in the book are actual Milestone team members.

When someone from Milestone visits a client with children, they hand out a book with a box of crayons. They also use the book when visiting grade schools to talk about the trades.

“I wanted to do something that showcases the trades and tells a story so that after we leave a house kids can know that the trades are a great opportunity — plumbing, electrical or whatever interests them,” Cannizzaro said. “I also want girls to understand that they can have this opportunity, too.”

The book was a surprise when it was unveiled at a company event and Milestone team members saw themselves depicted in its pages. She plans to add pages when new people join the team.

Artist Tatum Thorson, who collaborated with Cannizzaro on the story and created the illustrations, is a family friend studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia.

Cannizzaro learned the trade from her father while tagging along with him on jobs. She earned a bachelor’s degree and MBA before deciding to pursue plumbing. Today, she is active in her local community in promoting trade careers.

“What a lot of parents and guidance counselors don't realize is that we’re overlooking a great opportunity when we only suggest four-year schools to young people,” Cannizzaro said. “If they want to do something different, they should be proud of choosing a different path.”