Libby Rees
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Libby Rees (born 1995 in Ringwood, Hampshire) is an English author. Rees wrote the book Help Hope and Happiness (ISBN 1-905517-02-5) when she was 9 years old. The book is a self-help guide on how to cope with a parents' break up. The first edition of the book was published in December 2005
Rees has a deal for two more books with the publishing company and has become globally recognised as an author with the overseas rights for publishing her book being hotly pursued across the continents. Film crews from France, Japan, and the US have captured this young author/celebrity, as well as an appearance on Richard and Judy in the UK. An ABC exclusive on "Good Morning America" in Time Square studios, New York, followed only four days after the story broke in the local paper!
Rees' parents divorced when she was six years old. She currently lives with her mother Kathryn Loughnan. Writing from experience is not her only desire though as she has pledged a donation to Save the Children for each book that is sold. It is her wish that as a child she will help children who are struggling through difficult times with her book and that those children who buy the book will go on to help children throughout the world who are in need. In later life she wants to carry on with her writing but would also like to travel and work overseas on a charity project, perhaps in a school.
"Help, Hope and Happiness" is now in print in Japan, The Netherlands, Italy, Macau, Thailand and Hong Kong with other overseas rights pending. The young author received three awards in 2006 for her writing and campaigning; as youth ambassador for Save the Children she was presented a special award by HRH Princess Anne for inspiring dramatic change in the lives of children.
Aged 12, Rees reveals her second book "At Sixes and Sevens" deals with the trauma of school transition from primary to secondary education. Publication will be January, 2008, shortly before her collaboration with the BBC Newsround programme dealing with the subject of divorce, is aired. Libby's book was the inspiration for the special drama and she was employed as a consultant as well as being the voice of an animated character. In between her writing, she finds time to act as Youth Ambassador for Save the Children, attending the AU/EU summit in Lisbon recently and sitting on the Youth Board of CAFCASS, making sure that children have a voice when it comes to representation in the courts.
