11-Year-Old Hong Kong Prodigy Publishes 30,000-Word English Novel, Tops Entire Grade
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
An 11-year-old Hong Kong primary school student, Szeto Hei-yi (Hailey), has published her first English-language novel at the 2026 Hong Kong Book Fair while maintaining top academic rankings throughout her elementary years. Her debut work "The Adventure in Roblox" contains 30,000 words, and she has consistently scored 96 or above in English examinations .
Key Points
- Szeto Hei-yi (Hailey), age 11, released her 30,000-word debut novel "The Adventure in Roblox" at the Hong Kong Book Fair 2026
- She achieved first place in her entire grade when transitioning to secondary school, with English exam scores of 96 or above consistently
- She attributes her success to four study methods: early preparation starting 1-2 months before exams, completing supplementary exercises in the final week, maintaining 9:30 PM bedtime before exams, and taking 30-minute breaks every hour during study sessions
- Her immersive English learning approach includes reading books like "The Secret Zoo," "Percy Jackson," and "Harry Potter," as well as watching English programs on Netflix such as "Mark Rober CrunchLabs" and "The Inbestigators"
- Hailey studies 4-6 hours daily, with longer sessions allocated to weaker subjects like Chinese and General Studies
Why It Matters
Hailey's achievement demonstrates that young students can excel academically while pursuing creative interests, offering a practical model for parents and educators seeking to nurture both intellectual and creative development in Hong Kong's competitive educational landscape .
Hailey's achievement demonstrates that young students can excel academically while pursuing creative interests, offering a practical model for parents and educators seeking to nurture both intellectual and creative development in Hong Kong's competitive educational landscape .