British 5-year-old publishes book, earns world record

June 15 (UPI) -- A 5-year-old British girl earned a Guinness World Record when she published a book that she wrote and illustrated.

Guinness World Records confirmed Bella Jay Dark earned the record for youngest person to publish a book (female) when her book, The Lost Cat, sold more than 1,000 copies, the minimum set by the record-keeping organization.

Dark wrote and illustrated the book with help from her mother, Chelsie Syme, and the tome was published by Ginger Fyre Press.

"Both her dad and I are very proud," Syme told The Dorset Echo. "It's about a cat that goes out getting lost and realizes she should not go out without her mum, so it has got a good message to it."

Syme said she received confirmation from Guinness World Records this week.

"She has done the all the drawings by herself apart from one towards the back her older sister Lacey-May produced," Syme said. "This achievement is well deserved for all the hard work and dedication she's put into The Lost Cat, and which we're sure she will continue to do with her up and coming books. Watch out for The Lost Cat 2."

Dark's book was published when she was 5 years and 211 days old.

The record for youngest person to publish a book (male) belongs to Thanuwana Serasinghe of Sri Lanka, who was 4 years and 356 days old when his book, Junk Food, was published in 2017.