Nine-year-old litter picker writes second book

Amaya aspires to be a marine biologist when she grows up

A nine-year-old litter picker has written and illustrated a book on how recycled materials can be upcycled.

Amaya, who aspires to be a marine biologist, is a member of the Norfolk Beach Cleans group and became passionate about the environment after being inspired by films and visits to the beach.

Her second book, The Adventures of Boo: Upcycle recycle items at home, explains how recycled materials can be upcycled, such as how bottles can be turned into feeding stations for bees and what can be made from tin cans.

Her father Gavin said: "Everything to do with the environment, she's so passionate about."

The family live in Leicestershire but spend parts of the year in their static caravan in Heacham on the Norfolk coast.

Gavin said: "Everything to do with the environment, she's so passionate about, in particular beaches and the sea."

The nine-year-old has autism, which means at times she struggles with the "hustle and bustle of day-to-day life", but her dad said the beach was a place that made her feel "free".

The author now has written two books under the title, The Adventures of Boo. The first explored how sea animals can be saved, and her most recent book examined upcycling items.

A percentage of the profits from the book will go to the charity Caudwell Children, which helped support Amaya and her family through her autism diagnosis

"Amaya has always said if one person reads the book and takes notice then she's done her bit."

A percentage of the book's profits will be donated to the charity Caudwell Children, which supported the family through Amaya's autism diagnosis.

She has hopes to write and illustrate a third book, and also to work with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds as a plover warden, to help educate people about plover birds on the beach.

He said: "We're so proud as parents... we're so proud of what she can do and it just goes to show that even with the difficulties autism possesses there's no barriers she doesn't want to break down."