Saudi Girl Becomes Youngest Author in the World

A 13-year-old Saudi girl, Retaj Hussain Alhazmi, has been recognized as the "Youngest Author in the World to Publish a Series of Books." According to the Guinness World Records website, Retaj has created fictional stories for children to help them think more creatively and expand their imaginations, selling her books through her online store and other internet platforms. Retaj stated, "I started writing at the age of six while I was with my family studying abroad." At just seven years old, Retaj began visiting libraries in Saudi Arabia and eventually started writing short stories. She published her first novel in English titled "The Lost Sea Treasure" in 2019, and her second book, "The Gateway to the Hidden World," in November 2020. After publishing her second book, Retaj qualified for the title of the youngest person to publish a series of books (female) and, after reviewing her application, she was awarded the title. Retaj followed this up with her third novel, "Beyond the Future World." Retaj said, "I write for my fellow children; I realized that there are not many novels for this age group, so I decided to create some of my own stories." Born in Dhahran, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, she speaks both Arabic and English, and at now 14, she is also learning Japanese. Retaj added, "Being a Guinness World Record holder is a great achievement that I want to share with young writers. I want to inspire young authors and encourage them to face challenges and overcome obstacles." Retaj is currently working on the fourth book in the series "The Passage to the Unknown," as she continues her journey to inspire children around the world to pursue their dreams. Retaj is not the only young author holding a Guinness World Record, as British girl Bella Gee Dark holds the record for the youngest person to publish a book, having published her book "The Lost Cat" at just 5 years and 211 days old.