AUSTIN, Texas -- Whether it's sheltering from COVID-19 or in this case the rain, Michael Savage is stuck inside these days.
- Porsha Hodge created LIT Kids Book Box
- Kids explain how the characters are relatable
But luckily, the 6-year-old has his cousin Shaimarie Warren to remind him storms don't last forever.
When the pair gets tired of playing with toys or watching TV, they love to curl up with a good book.
The best tales offer an escape. It also helps if you can relate to the characters.
That lack of literary connection is what inspired Porsha Hodge to make LIT Kids Book Box.
An image of a LIT Kids Book Box featuring "Amazing Grace" by Mary Hoffman
"I wanted to create something that provided kids with something, more books of color because as a new mother back in 2014 I found that there were not a lot of books of representation that connected with my son as a young black boy," said Hodge.
The box is full of books specifically about the black experience. The best part for Shaimarie is finding people who look like her, inside the pages.
“In my school library I don’t see a lot of different races of books, so the opportunity to be having a book that I can read that is my own race or a different race then what we regularly see is a whole new world,” said Shaimarie.
One of Shaimarie's favorite books that is offered in the LIT Kids Book box is Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman.
The 10-year-old finds the struggles in the book relatable.
“My favorite part in this book was that she didn’t give up on trying to become Peter Pan in the school play, even though the kids didn’t believe in her,” said Shaimarie.
Like Grace’s character, Shaimarie has experienced bullying but doesn't let anyone limit her.
"I feel like that shouldn’t bring me down because I know in my own way that I am beautiful and I am unique just the way I am," said Shaimarie.
If you are interested in a book box head on over to https://www.litkidsbooks.com/