Little Rock woman's books added to ESD, Mahony libraries

Author Phyllis Hodges, left, is pictured with El Dorado School District Superintendent Jim Tucker, following a meeting where they talked about her books, "Girl Power" and "8 Years of Unforgettable History." (Contributed)
Author Phyllis Hodges, left, is pictured with El Dorado School District Superintendent Jim Tucker, following a meeting where they talked about her books, "Girl Power" and "8 Years of Unforgettable History." (Contributed)

The El Dorado School District and South Arkansas Community College will soon be adding two new books to their catalogs courtesy of Little Rock author Phyllis Hodges.

"Girl Power" and "8 Years of Unforgettable History," written by Hodges, are both history texts featuring the stories of people both famous and unknown.

"Girl Power," as the name suggests, highlights notable women, ranging from First Lady Michelle Obama to Hodges' own mother, Rose Wright. "8 Years," meanwhile, is what Hodges calls a "living history" and is focused on Arkansan movers-and-shakers.

On Oct. 19, Hodges kicked off a tour of the State of Arkansas in El Dorado, where she visited ESD Superintendent Jim Tucker, Mahony Library Director Philip Shackelford and El Dorado Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer to talk about her books.

"(We want to) take the cities and teach them some positive things," Hodges said.

Both Tucker and Shackelford agreed that both books would be welcome additions to the academic libraries.

"I liked the fact that it had Arkansans in it. The history of people that live in Arkansas is something that's very interesting and would benefit our students," Tucker said, adding that seeing African-American Arkansans represented in the books was an added benefit.

"It's always beneficial to learn about different people and their accomplishments, how they went about those accomplishments. A lot of times it will motivate students," he continued.

Hodges wasn't always a writer. She started on "8 Years" in 2018, drawing inspiration from President Barack Obama, whose portrait adorns the cover of the hardback edition of the book. Hodges said during his campaign and subsequent presidency, she started collecting newspapers and the book took off from there.

"When people look at it, they think it's political, but it's not; it's a living history book. Everybody in this history book is alive and well," Hodges explained.

At the same time, she and her husband, Byron Hodges, were running the Carousel Fit-4-Life Wellness Center in North Little Rock, until she had a dream in 2019 that told her it was time to close up shop.

"It was such a powerful dream... We sold in 30 days. One year later, the pandemic hit," Hodges said. "When the pandemic hit, they closed all the fitness center, all the gyms. They closed everything. I didn't have to go through any of it because we had already closed."

Hodges had originally planned to travel the state after writing "8 Years" to promote the book, but once pandemic lockdowns started, she found herself inspired again and set to work on "Girl Power."

"'Girl Power' is so, so hype because a lot of girls, they have self-esteem challenges... I put Oprah and Michelle Obama on the front to get their attention, but then, again, I said let me draw you all in, so before I added pictures (on the back cover), I put the mirror (on the back cover). I wanted the girls to look at themselves – quit looking at anybody else... Look in the mirror and see yourself beautifully and wonderfully made and think about your role models."

Once she finished "Girl Power," Hodges and her mother set out on their tour of the state.

Hodges said she hopes the students who find her books in local school libraries walk away with the knowledge that they can make history like the figures in "8 Years" and "Girl Power."

"We celebrate each other, one person at a time, one story at a time," Hodges said. "I think they can walk away with knowing they can do whatever they set their mind to."

She also said she hopes the books can help get some children and teenagers interested in reading.

To learn more about Hodges, "8 Years of Unforgettable History" or "Girl Power," visit doyouphylme.com.

photo Author Phyllis Hodges, left, is pictured with Mahony Library Director Philip Shackelford, following a meeting where they talked about her books, "Girl Power" and "8 Years of Unforgettable History." (Contributed)
photo Author Phyllis Hodges, left, is pictured with El Dorado Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer, following a meeting where they talked about her books, "Girl Power" and "8 Years of Unforgettable History." (Contributed)

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