Nationwide — Meet Hephzibah Akinwale, a 10-year-old Black girl from the United Kingdom who just broke the world record for the longest fiction book for children. Her book, Chronicles of The Time Keepers: Whisked Away, boasts a whopping 58,000 words. In this middle-grade fiction adventure novel, Hephzibah serves as the main character, diving into mysterious dreams that feel as real as her everyday life, according to Shine My Crown.
Hephzibah, a student at Little Thetford C of E Primary School in East Cambridgeshire, England, surpassed the previous record holder, 11-year-old Manikya Sanghi, who wrote the award-winning Wizard of Sansanadia with 44,000 words.
However, Hephzibah isn’t just breaking records. Her mother, Chika, believes that her achievements will light a creative spark in other children worldwide.
What’s more, her talents have already earned her a spot among the top 20 young people chosen to help East Cambridgeshire District Council celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III.