Among the creative arts, literature is one of the art forms were age is truly nothing but a number. Whether it's the early starters or the late bloomers, great writers tend to sprout from any end of the spectrum. One such writer proving this to be true is Rutendo Shadaya, a Zimbabwean teenager based in New Zealand.
The young writer was named on TIME Magazine's inaugural Girls of the Year list, which made its debut in 2025. The publication, known for celebrating influential figures across the world, introduced the list as a way of honouring 10 extraordinary young female leaders between the ages of 12 and 17, who are inspiring communities around the world.
Created in collaboration with Lego Group, TIME's inaugural list featured 13-year-old Scottish inventor Rebecca Young, the Olympic skateboarder Coco Yoshizawa, 15, from Japan, and an organ donation advocate, Naomi S DeBerry, 12, from the US.
"The initiative celebrates and amplifies the voices of inspiring young women who are building the future and turning imagination into impact”, TIME said in a statement.
Rutendo Shadaya's writing journey began when she was just 9 years old. She wanted to make her best friend's birthday special by creating the perfect birthday present.
"I was very good with gift giving, and I knew she liked reading … so I was like ‘Why don’t I write a book for her?’ ..." shared Shadaya in an interview with the Guardian.
A few weeks later she had put together the fantasy novella, Rachel and the Enchanted Forest, and fallen in love with writing during the process, which gave her the desire to take it further. Unable to find a traditional publisher, Shadaya self-published her books, winning over a young local audience which would see her sell hundreds of copies.
The 17 year old writer now has 3 published books (Rachel and the Enchanted Forest, Rachel and the Chevene Pirates, and Rachel and the Mischievous Thieves) and hopes to complete the 5 book fantasy series soon. The series of novellas traverses themes of adventure, friendship, mental health and perseverance, as her protagonist, Rachel, overcomes challenges through pushing herself out of her comfort zone, using her magical powers for good and surrounding herself with supportive friends.
Since publishing her books, Shadaya has used her platform to encourage other young writers, including appearing at community talks and events, and more recently running a competition for writers and artists between eight and 13 years old, the winners of which will feature in a soon-to-be-released book.
Shadaya is also a keen netball player, a student volunteer, a YWCA young leader and is considering a future in dentistry alongside a writing career.
You can purchase Rutendo's books directly from her via Facebook.