12-year-old author becomes youngest to publish a book series

July 5 (UPI) -- An author from Saudi Arabia became a Guinness World Record holder at the age of 12 when she was confirmed as the world's youngest person to publish a book series (female).

Ritaj Hussain Alhazmi, who is now 13, was 12 years 295 days old when Guinness World Records verified her title.

Alhazmi published her first novel, Treasure of the Lost Sea, in 2019, and the sequel book, Portal of the Hidden World, was published the same year. The third book in the series, Beyond the Future World, followed in 2020, and the fourth book, The Passage to the Unknown, is currently being written.

Alhazmi, who wrote her novels in English, said she has been writing short stories since she was very young.

"I started writing at the age of six while I was accompanied by my family to study abroad," she said.