British girl becomes the world’s youngest author after having her first book – called the Lost Cat – published age FIVE with copies selling for £4
- Five-year-old Bella-Jay Dark, from Weymouth, Dorset, penned the book alone
- She will find herself in the Guinness World Records if she sells 1,000 copies
- The story concerns a kitten that gets lost after wandering off without its mother
- Bella’s mother told of her surprise, saying she expected the book to be ‘scribble’
- The Guinness record holder for youngest author is Abhijita Gupta, published at 7
A five-year-old British girl has become the world’s youngest author after having her first book published.
Bella-Jay Dark, from Weymouth, Dorset, stunned her family last year when she told them she was going to write a book.
Parents chef Chelsie Syme, 27, and plasterer Myles Dark, 30, thought it was ‘one of those things’ children say.
But it has become a real title that has been officially published.
Ginger Fyre Press have produced the book, which is now available to purchase on Amazon and Waterstones for £4.
Bella-Jay Dark, 5, penned The Lost Cat all by herself, and her book has now been published by Ginger Fyre Press
If the book sells 1,000 copies, The Lost Cat could propel young Bella into the role of Guinness World Record holder for youngest author – displacing current title-holder Abhijita Gupta, who wrote her book aged seven
Bella-Jay’s story, titled The Lost Cat, features a feline who goes on an adventure and soon learns an important lesson.
Last year Abhijita Gupta was hailed as the world’s youngest published author – aged seven.
Chelsie said: ‘We are just so proud of Bella and honestly can’t believe how amazing this is.
‘We’re also so grateful of the support and acknowledgment she has already received so far and she deserves this so much.
‘She has always thrived off positivity from people – she just loves reading and drawing.
The Lost Cat is a cautionary tale, featuring a kitten that finds itself astray and regretful after venturing out of the house without its mother
Bella says she plans to write a follow-up book, charting the future adventures of the book’s protagonist, Snowy the kitten
‘I am just really proud of her, I did not think it was going to go this far so I’m just proud and want to see her get the acknowledgement she deserves.’
Chelsie admitted she did not have high expectations when Bella first told her she planned to pen a book.
Chelsie said: ‘I thought it would just be some scribble and you would say “wow” like you do as a parent.
‘We then went to a book fair and someone there said they wanted to publish it.’
Mother Chelsie Syme, 27, from Weymouth, Dorset, admitted she did not have high expectations when her five-year-old daughter said she planned to write a book
Bella said she was proud of herself for the accomplishment, and said she hoped people would buy the title – available at Waterstones and on Amazon
Bella-Jay said of her own book: ‘This is the best book ever, and I just want everyone to buy it,
‘I’m so proud of myself and every other author.’
The book promises to deliver a ‘powerful and positive safety message to children’ through the allegory of a kitten that finds itself astray and regretful after venturing out of the house without its mother.
‘She has done all the drawings by herself apart from one towards the back her older sister Lacey-May produced’, said Chelsie.
To claim the official Guinness World Record accolade of youngest author, Bella needs to sell 1,000 copies of the book.
She has met the other two criteria – namely, that the book be published by an official company and that she be younger than seven.
Bella-Jay already has her eye on further books with planning underway for future titles.
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