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What does a nine-year-old girl who loves to read and write do? Write her own book, of course.

Brooklyn’s Anaya Lee Willabus is the youngest published author in U.S. history to write a book with chapters. Her work, titled The Day Mohan Found His Confidence, is about a boy’s struggle to balance his life at home and at school – something we can all relate to.

Anaya started reading at the age of two. On Thursday, she participated in a Brooklyn Borough Hall Black History celebration that honored young community leaders.

I like to read all genres, of books. I love both reading and writing. They both have something that I love in them,” Anaya told the NY Daily News.

Her mother, Dimple, said that aside from her extraordinary talent, she’s just like any other youngster who eats candy and fights with her siblings.

We knew something was different with her,” the proud mother said. “She never learned to walk. She actually started running. She started reading at 2 years old.

Anaya’s favorite books include Malala Yousafzai‘s I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, and President Obama‘s Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.

Anaya was also clear about the fact that she’d pick up a book over a Nook or Kindle any day. “I prefer traditional books because of the beauty of turning the pages,” she admitted.

We may have just found the next great American author.

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Black Girl Magic: 9-Year-Old Brooklyn Girl Becomes Youngest Published Author In History  was originally published on globalgrind.com

For 2024’s iteration of MadameNoire and HelloBeautiful’s annual series Women to Know, we knew we wanted to celebrate the people who help make the joys of film and television possible. To create art is to create magic. This year, we spotlight Hollywood Executive’s changing the face of cinema.