Ballito teen Kieran Aleka (13) has turned his vivid imagination into the pages of his debut book, The Untold Academy.

The Curro Grantleigh Grade 8 pupil already has his sights set on publishing a second book by the end of this year.

Aleka’s love for storytelling began in Grade 2 when his teacher, Sandy Heeley, gifted him a doodle book to pen down his ideas, unlocking a creative world of fiction for the young writer.

“That’s when I discovered how much I enjoyed creating worlds and characters,” said Kieran.

The Untold Academy, a collection of three thrilling short stories, was released on December 7.

Life on Earth is the short story about a boy who is the only human left on the planet because everyone else moved to Mars. Ordinary plants become dangerous because no one is maintaining them. Star Nova is a futuristic tale where Earth is overrun by robots and almost destroyed because of technology.

The final story, Untold Academy, is about a boy who runs away from what is portrayed as a good boarding school but is just a prison.

“I began working on the book in April last year. Finishing it before moving on to high school feels like a huge milestone,” said Kieran.

“It feels great to look back and see what I have accomplished.”

His talent has already received international recognition. In August 2024, he represented young authors worldwide at the Nottingham City of Literature’s Young Authors Virtual event for International Youth Day.

“I was part of a group of young authors from different countries, sharing our experiences to inspire youth worldwide to read and write,” he said.

The Nottingham City of Literature is focused on nurturing young talent and encouraging youngsters to read.

Published by The Infinity Tree publishing house, his book will soon be available on Amazon, however readers can order a copy directly by emailing him at Kieran@theinfinitytree.com. Alternatively, contact his mother Aritha Etta-Aleka at 076 9359 290.

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