Photo: shop.kids4.org

8-year old Arden Pala loves to travel, a fact that’s evident in his book, “The Adventures of Noah’s Flying Car – Through China.” This young author hopes to use his work to help others, with proceeds from the book going toward his school’s scholarship fund.

As parents, we always see a little of ourselves in our children. Maybe it’s the color of their eyes, the look on their face as they concentrate, or their love of animals.

In the case of one family, the Palas, the parents’ love of travel and an entrepreneurial spirit has been passed down to their children, as has their desire to give back to the community.

The family's 8-year-old son, Arden, has expressed these passions in the form of a brand-new children's book, “The Adventures of Noah’s Flying Car – Through China.” Inspired by his visit to China, the book features some of Arden’s favorite spots from the trip, including the Great Wall of China, Tian Tan Buddha, and Pearl River. Being a children’s book, however, “The Adventures of Noah’s Flying Car” is filled with more than just historic sites. As readers turn the pages, they also see Noah interact with everything from siblings, hidden caves, and ice cream to the book’s namesake: flying cars.

Told from the point of view of one imaginative kid, the book pairs Arden’s words with Pavel Goldaev’s playful illustrations, as well as fun facts and figures on China, historical tidbits about popular sites throughout the country, and descriptions of numerous Chinese customs. Overall, Arden's goal is to teach kids to not only appreciate different cultures, but also learn valuable lessons from them.

Photo: shop.kids4.org

Inspired by his parents Zeynep Ilgaz and Serhat Pala, founders of Confirm BioSciences and TestCountry, Arden and his 14-year old brother Kenan hope to change the world through their efforts. Kenan has his own nonprofit organization, Kids4Community, which aims to help children and their families give back to their communities. “The Adventures of Noah's Flying Car” is a special project for the group, and all proceeds from the book will go directly to a scholarship fund for Arden and Kenan's school, Francis Parker, to help kids in need with their school costs.

With a printing of 3,000 books priced at $10 each, Arden, Kenan, and their parents’ goal is to raise $30,000, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Francis Parker Scholarship Fund. Arden and his family are aiming high with their efforts, hoping the children’s book will spark young readers’ imaginations while teaching them to appreciate Chinese history and culture, all while helping an important cause.