Meet 12-year-old Indian-American Sophia Parekh, who has given over 8,000 free books to children

Sophia tries to find out what each child enjoys reading. (Facebook/Sophia's book stand) When Sophia Parekh was seven, she noticed that not every child had the same access to books. It was during the Covid pandemic, when many families were struggling financially, and buying books was not always possible. Sophia, who loved reading, decided to do something about it. She started collecting books and giving them away to children who needed them. Five years later, the 12-year-old from Westfield, New Jersey, has distributed more than 8,000 free books across the United States through her initiative, Sophia's Book Stand.What makes her project different is that she does not simply collect books and send them to families. She tries to find out what each child enjoys reading and chooses books accordingly. The little girl's aim is to make sure children receive something they would actually like to read.The initiative has grown beyond individual families. Sophia now also helps teachers obtain books for classrooms in underserved schools and works with organisations that support families in need. Her efforts have earned her recognition as a runner-up for the 2026 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Hero...