11-year-old uses experience with bullying to write inspiring book

LONGVIEW, Texas (KSLA) - Lots of people talk about bullying and when you really hear the facts, you know it’s not a thing to be taken lightly.

Due to bullying, suicidal thoughts and attempts among young people have nearly doubled since 2008, making suicide the second leading cause of death for individuals 10 to 34-years-old.

Eleven-year-old Isaiah Moore grew up with vitiligo, a rare discoloring skin condition. He says he has been bullied by people of all ages and wanted to use his experience to help others.

Isaiah went to his mom, Sharlisia Moore, and told her he wanted to write a book. And they did just that!

“More Than Just Me” is a series that aims to educate children and parents on bullying and equip them with knowledge and empathy.

“We both believe that if children are more educated about different things, they can cut down on bullying, they can cut down on children making fun of other children because they are different. All children are different in their own unique way. We want the children to know that you’re all unique and to embrace uniqueness in whatever capacity that may be,” said Sharlisia.

The book begins with young Isaiah sharing his story. Then they begin introducing other children with various diversities like speech disorders or autism spectrum disorders. In the book, words like “ADHD” and “dyslexia” are labeled “Superpower Words” to instill confidence and understanding in those reading.

“I just thought since I had those experiences... different kids could be going through the same thing because of things that they have problems with. I decided to write a book and hopefully people will look at it and understand how other kids may feel,” said Isaiah.

“More Than Just Me” is set to release Aug. 31! Isaiah and Sharlisia say they will release another three books in the series by mid-September.

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