Seven-year-old Malaikah Abdul-Jabbar is upset about the recent gun violence in Bermuda.

In fact the Victor Scott student is so upset, that after the Island's most recent shooting death she was compelled to write a booklet, 'Stop The Shooting'.

"I feel very scared, frightened and concerned," she said of the increase in gun use. "No one has the right to shoot another person. I don't want it to happen to me or other people. What if I got shot?"

The booklet looks at violence and crime through the eyes of a young child and includes such matter-of-fact observations as: do not shoot, why to stop, when to call crime stoppers and do not play with guns.

According to Malaikah's mother, Maaida Coleman, it is already being used as a tool for teaching anti-violence at Victor Scott. "Please do not shoot," says the opening line in the booklet. "It can spread everywhere."

According to Ms Coleman, Malaikah was deeply affected by the recent murder of the father of one of her classmates.

She said that at her age, Malaikah's perception of violence and right and wrong is much different than an adult's.

"Before the book Malaikah didn't understand the concept of death and violence. She understood that it happens to animals but not people," her mother explained. "When she came home after hearing about her classmate's father she was very disturbed and she couldn't express herself verbally.

"All she really understood was that her classmate didn't have a daddy anymore. In an innocent way she didn't get it. That night she sat down and wrote the entire book on her own from the table of contents to the last page.

"She poured every emotion her little body could hold onto paper. The result was an excellent, heartfelt book and every emotion can be felt when read by others."

'Stop the Shooting' was recently featured at the Bermuda Reading Conference where it drew tears from audience members and received a standing ovation.

According to Ms Coleman, Malaikah has been approached by Government officials about the book and could be invited to the International Reading Association Conference in Chicago next month. The book was even presented at an open forum on violence where community activist Gina Spence-Farmer described it as "powerful".

"I hope it will teach people to stop the violence and the shootings," said Malaikah. "If they read the book they will understand why they shouldn't shoot."

Malaikah is at the top of her class according to Ms Coleman: "She is in P3 but is already reading at a sixth-grade level."

The primary school student not only wrote 'Stop The Shooting' but she also drew all the illustrations for the booklet.

"I love to read adventure books and books about the human body. I want to be an author when I grow up," said Malaikah. "But I love to draw so art class is my favourite.

The author, who may be Bermuda's youngest ever, said she wants the opportunity to write another book and would like to see "Stop The Shooting" used in schools around the Island as a teaching tool.

"I would like my book to be in bookstores for kids and adults."

Do you know a Young Achiever? E-mail cspencer@royalgazette.bm with details and contact information.