Six-Year-Old in George, South Africa Publishing First Book

In an inspiring story of youthful achievement, Liam Tait, a Grade 1 learner from Holy Cross Primary School in George, South Africa, stands as the youngest patron of the George Library to ever publish a book. At a tender age of six, Tait has made his debut in the world of literature with his first book, "The Dream of Animals".

The book, a typical entry-level piece designed for young readers, was a holiday project Tait embarked on during his stay with his aunt, Rehelda Williams, in June. The foundational idea behind the book was to encourage Tait to express himself uniquely through the written word, leveraging his vocabulary of known words and those he could spell.

Tait's publication was launched officially at the local library on Monday, marking an appropriate highlight during National Literacy Month. His achievement has shed light on the potential of early childhood literary exposure and its impact on literacy development.

Phyona, Liam's mother, voiced her pride on her son's achievement, describing him as their "shining light." On seeing his work in print for the first time, Tait's first reaction was, "I'm an author," a statement showing his realization of the milestone he’d hit. He has also shown an early interest in the business side of literature, curious regarding the sales of his debut book.

Unfortunately, Tait's father, Wendell Tait, a detective at George South African Police Service couldn’t witness his son's achievement as he passed away from Covid-19 in December 2020.

"The Dream of Animals" was self-published and printed by Blending.co.za and is up for sale on eCommerce giants like Amazon.com and Kindle.