LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — Making friends at any age can be difficult, but for children in foster care often it’s even more challenging.

Social skills and cues don’t always come naturally to everyone, so a Tampa couple wrote a children's book to help. 

We caught up with author K.A. Leigh and illustrator Derek Roberts as they made a special donation stop at the Fostering Change Foster Closet and Early Learning Center in Land O’ Lakes.

George Agovino started the organization because as a foster parent, he saw how difficult it can be for kids.

“They move around a lot," he said. "Most of the children that come into care, they’re withdrawn, obviously they’ve just went through trauma and you want them to feel like they’re just like everybody else."

That’s why he is so excited for kids to meet a little bear named Brudders and read his story about how to make new friends.

“It’s about friendship, understanding others, and understanding that everybody is a little bit different,” Leigh said.

Like a lot of kids, Brudders has to learn how to make friends and it isn’t always easy.

“He scares the deer a little bit, he scares the fish a little bit, but he learns a beautiful lesson about halfway through,” she said.

With its watercolor illustrations and rhyming words, the couple wanted it to be a book to last generations and to help kids in need who are looking for a permanent friend.

“This holiday season we wanted to donate 100 books out to several different groups and just really give kids that little friend,” Leigh said.

“It’s about giving hope, it’s about showing people that you care, it’s about showing these children that they’re loved,” said Agovino.