A few months ago, in the midst of a pandemic and figuring out how to offer virtual tutoring, the team at Reading Partners Tulsa found an unexpected bright spot in 2020—an adventurous hamster named Chubby Gus.
As it turns out, Chubby Gus was just one-third of the delight; his creators Beaumont Morris and Pax Masingale are the kind of kids who bring a smile along with a generous portion of hope.
The story of Chubby Gus began when Beau, a seventh-grader, decided to write his first children’s book during recess. With the help of his mom, he finished mapping out the adventures of Chubby Gus—a hamster in search of his forever home.
Beau then shared his project with his friend Pax who instantly got excited. He could see the story in his mind, and he wanted to use his art skills to bring it to life. And just like that, Beau found an illustrator for his first book.
Together the pair worked to bring the book to print, even listing it on Amazon. Before they sold their first copy, they decided they wanted to give a portion of the proceeds to a charity. They began researching fitting nonprofits and had seen Reading Partners on YouTube.
“I chose to give to Reading Partners because it is local and helps a lot of people learn to read, and that really touched my heart,” explained Beau.
We opened the mail over the summer and found a check for $9.36 along with a note from Beau introducing us to Chubby Gus. It will always be one of the best donations we have ever received, and their spirit of giving has inspired us.
At Reading Partners, we believe that reading empowers. Once children learn to read, the world opens up to them. We are so thankful that Beau and Pax were empowered to read at a young age, which has since empowered them to become authors, illustrators, salesmen, and philanthropists. We can’t imagine the next great things they will accomplish in life.
We believe all kids should be empowered with the gift of reading so they can discover their passions and paths. We need your help to bring the gift of reading to more students. Unfortunately, only one out of every four fourth-graders in Oklahoma is able to read at a proficient level, and 36 percent lack even basic literacy skills.
Every donation makes an impact and opens doors of possibilities to one more child in Tulsa. Please consider making an end-of-year donation in honor of Chubby Gus at www.readingpartners.org.
Justin Harlan
Senior Executive Director
Reading Partners Tulsa