Aliya read her first chapter book when she was only five years old… and after reading it on her own, she immediately flipped to the front page and began reading it again, out loud, for her friends to listen to the story. The only thing bigger than Aliya’s brain is her sweet and gentle heart. But as kind as she is to her friends and family, Aliya is sometimes tough on herself; as the child of two successful parents, she feels the pressure of high expectations. Luckily, even though she spends a lot of time studying or reading, Aliya still squeezes in adventures with her best friend Autumn. Aliya is seen as a leader among her friends and in her school, but her desire to help people can sometimes go overboard, and she’s been known to completely take over group projects, ending up doing everything herself so it comes out ‘perfect.’ Sometimes her friends can talk her down and convince her to take a breather and let others help her, and other times… she crashes hard. Slowly Aliya is learning to use her courage not just to be a good leader, but also to admit she needs her friends as much as they say they need her.