Inwood resident Thomas Ortiz is using his own experiences to help other children like himself make friends in new areas and situations with his book, “Thomas Makes a Promise.”
Ortiz, 6, told his mom Angela, 34, what each page of the book should look like and what it should say all based off his own life.
She self-published the book on his behalf and it is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
“Thomas is shy, he’s really quiet and doesn’t really talk to other kids yet,” Ortiz said. “He made a promise to me a year ago saying he was going to make a new friend everywhere he goes and the book shows that.”
It follows Thomas from the park to the grocery store, karate class, the aquarium and even the airport. The book ends with Thomas flying to see his grandmother in Florida to tell her about all the fiends he made along the way.
The book is about being brave at a young age and stepping out of his shell,” she added. “Thomas shows that the friendships formed along the way are worth it. His book inspires young readers to embrace kindness, courage and the joy of making friends.”
Thomas goes to Lawrence Primary School in Inwood and is a student in Jennifer Arleo’s first grade class.
“Everyday our focus is to Read, Write, Think and Be Kind and this book encompasses all of these aspect,” Arleo wrote in an email. “It will be a great resource to support our students in understanding the importance of being kind and that we can make friends anywhere. We hope that the skills we teach continue to show students that you can reach great achievements, such as writing a book.”
Each student received a copy of the book and Thomas will be reading it to the school at Literacy Night at Lawrence Primary School, on Oct. 22.
“He told me who he wants to be in it and there are a lot of kids who really are his friends in it,” Ortiz said. “He basically went page by page and told me what scene he wants on each page.”
After that, the book was sent to Veterans Publishing House where they put together the graphics, fonts and page order.
“I just want Thomas to be proud of himself,” she added.
The book is aimed for children two to six years old, specifically the kids who are going to school for the first time and meeting all new people.
Thomas said he is “proud” of his book and has a lot of friends in class that are featured in the book.
“I want to help other kids make friends,” Thomas said.
His favorite page in the book is when he makes a friend at the aquarium because he loves sharks. The page features him with his older brother, Ace.
“The best part is when I see grandma,” Thomas added. “She has a video game machine and a pool.”
