Shayla loves to draw and be creative. But during the shutdown, she's having a hard time finding a place to do what she loves. Her big, multigenerational family seems to always be in the way. Mom and dad are video-chatting. Her brothers and sisters are doing schoolwork. And her little cousins are making messes all over the place. Frustrated, Shayla goes to her Aunties for help. Will she be able to figure out how to make space for herself in a very crowded house?

The authors of this story are part of an innovative program run by Reach Incorporated. Reach develops grade-level readers and capable leaders by preparing teens to serve as tutors and role models for younger students, resulting in improved literacy outcomes for both. Learn more at reachincorporated.org. Books were created in collaboration with Shout Mouse Press.

Shout Mouse is a nonprofit writing and publishing house dedicated to amplifying underheard voices. Through writing workshops that lead to professional publication, Shout Mouse empowers writers from marginalized backgrounds to tell their own stories in their own voices and, as published authors, to act as agents of change. Learn more at shoutmousepress.org