Sophia’s Shelves

Sophia Parekh loves books. Her family’s basement is full of them. There are thousands of books for kids of all ages, from babies and toddlers to elementary schoolers and teens, on neatly organized shelves. It’s like a secret library. Since age 7, Sophia has been giving books out for free through a program she started. It’s called Sophia’s Book Stand.

“My initial goal was to send about 1,000 books a year to kids in need,” Sophia, now 13, told TIME for Kids. To date, the New Jersey seventh grader has managed to give away more than 8,000 books. In September, she was awarded a Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. These are given out every year to young people who are making a positive impact on the world.

BOXES OF BOOKS Sophia prepares 300 books for families in need with kids under age 5.

Sharing Stories

To request free books from Sophia’s Book Stand, teachers and families fill out an online form. It asks for kids’ ages and interests. Sophia uses the information to scan the shelves in search of a perfect match.

MAKING PILES Sophia sorts books to give to kids in Union County, New Jersey, in 2022.

“I try to think of what books I was into” at different ages, Sophia says. “And I try to make sure that whoever gets these books, they definitely like them.” To develop a love of reading, she adds, “you have to find a book that you’re into and that you can connect to.”

Requests come from all over. Sophia has mailed books to a 4-year-old in Pennsylvania who loves princesses. She’s mailed them to a fifth-grade teacher in Arizona and a sister and brother in New York who are obsessed with dinosaurs and unicorns.

As Sophia’s collection has grown, so has the number of books she’s able to give. “At first, I was just sending each child two to three books,” she says. “Now I try to send between eight and 10 books each so they can build their libraries at home.”

In June, Sophia gave 288 books to 36 students in Linden, New Jersey. She wanted them to have books to read over the summer. “I’m very, very grateful to Sophia for the opportunity that she has given to my students,” teacher Elizabeth Nardone says. “To help other kids and spread the happiness of reading is just something special.”

SUMMER READING Sophia drops off 100 books for the Boys & Girls Club of Newark summer program in 2021.

Big Dreams

Many of the books Sophia gives away are supplied by people in the publishing business. Recently, she reached out to Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Tree House series. “Kids love, love, love those books,” Sophia’s mom says. Osborne’s’s publisher promised to send multiple copies.

Donations come from friends, too. “Books are just so important in all our lives, but especially in children’s lives,” Lindsay Gordon Bezalel says. She and her family live across the street from Sophia. “I’m happy to support her. She does the legwork that’s needed to make sure books are getting into the right hands.”

This spring, Sophia’s Book Stand turns six. “I definitely want to expand,” Sophia says. Her goals include getting more bilingual books and books with diverse characters. She also hopes to ship books to kids in other countries. That way, she says, “everyone can get a chance to get books, no matter where they live.”

DELIVERY! In 2021, Sophia takes books to the post office. They’re handpicked to match kids’ interests.

Inspired?

Let Sophia’s story inspire you to promote literacy in your community. Click below for ideas on how you can make a positive difference.