Abram Shinholster, a 12-year-old from Jones County, self-published his first book and hopes to inspire peers to pursue their goals.

JONES COUNTY, Ga. — At an age when most middle schoolers are focused on homework and hanging out with friends, 12-year-old Abram Shinholster has added “published author” to his resume.

The Jones County seventh-grader self-published his first book, “Reach for the Smarts,” last month, detailing his academic journey back when he was in sixth grade, while he was balancing his social life with family and friends.

Shinholster’s passion for reading began early. He recalls being captivated by his first Accelerated Reader book, which his mother read to him.

“I remember the first time on AR, my mom had read me my first book on AR and I just felt captivated to read more, and I felt more immersed inside the books,” Shinholster said.

That love of literature came naturally. His mother, Rita Shinholster-Clements, is an author herself, having written two books. After watching her son consistently win reading awards over the past three years, she encouraged him to share his story.

“I said, ‘Son, you need to write a book. You are so over, over the top,'” Shinholster-Clements said. “I saw him winning all the awards for the last three years, and I’m like, ‘let other people see your intellect,’ and so I told him, and he was like, ‘okay, mom, I’ll do it.'”

Shinholster took his mother’s advice to heart. He began writing at the start of summer and completed the book in nearly two months.

The young author hopes his book will inspire his peers to pursue their own goals, regardless of how ambitious they may seem.

“I feel amazing because I think that kids can do this too,” Shinholster said. “Kids my age or younger or older, they can do whatever their mind desires.”

His mother said she’s proud of what her son has accomplished and hopes his story motivates others.

“I’m just proud of him,” Shinholster-Clements said. “It is letting every individual know, you know, regardless of your mishaps, you can still get up and win.”

The experience has only fueled Shinholster’s ambitions. He has already started writing his second book.