Suburban Essex

Teen Gives Back by Building “Novel Futures” for Young Readers

WWhen Meera Mehta sees a need in her community, she doesn’t wait for someone else to fix it —she gets to work. Since her freshman year, that work has meant boosting literacy rates by collecting over 50,000 books for underserved children and families across New Jersey, with a goal of reaching 100,000 by the end of the year.

“I started with a single book drive in 9th grade, but then realized how many kids were struggling with reading and writing post-pandemic,” she said. “The good news is that we can begin turning this around with simple solutions like increasing access to books and making writing more fun.”

Through her initiative, Novel Futures, the rising Glen Ridge High School senior organizes book drives at schools—like Forest Avenue and Watchung Co-op—and collects donations from local families, then distributes the books to community partners like Montclair Child Development Center, the Junior League of Newark, and BookSmiles. While the focus is on children’s books, adult titles are also accepted and passed along to partner organizations.

Wanting to do more than just distribute books, Meera created Story Labs—free writing workshops for children ages 6–12. Inspired by memoir courses she took at the

Iowa Young Writers’ Studio and the University of Pennsylvania’s Kelly Writers House, Meera believes that everyone has a story worth sharing. She held her first Story Lab at the Glen Ridge Makers Day and will run more at the Glen Ridge Public Library.

Each Story Lab session includes creative prompts and one-on-one guidance. Workshops are offered regularly throughout the summer with flexible drop-in attendance.

To expand accessibility, Meera is also developing an on-demand online series so children can participate anytime, from anywhere.

She recently launched a Bookfinder Tool on her website, novelfutures. org, helping families discover inclusive stories that reflect a wide range of lived experiences—filtered by age, topic, and audience.

“I’ve always loved reading,” Meera said. “But I saw how uneven access to books was in our area. I wanted to close that gap—and make sure every child feels seen in the stories they read.”

With plans to study writing and anthropology in college, Meera is already helping reshape how young readers access and connect with books.

To donate, host a drive, or get involved, visit novelfutures.org or email info@novel-futures.org.