Seven-year-old Malaikah Abdul-Jabbar is set to be the youngest presenter at the annual International Reading Association convention in Chicago later this month. And to help get her there the Somerset, Hamilton and St. George's Rotary clubs have awarded the Victor Scott student with a cheque to cover her expenses and the cost of travel to the 'Windy City'.

Maaida Coleman, Malaikah's mother, said she has been overwhelmed by the support and enthusiasm of the whole Island toward Malaikah and her book: 'Stop the Shooting: The Way Bermuda Feels. Expressed Through the Emotions of a 7-Year Old'. "It has been incredible," said Ms Coleman. "The whole Island has come out in support of this book. There are so many people and organisations that have helped get the word out. The response has been just amazing and the book seems to really have a powerful effect on people."

On April 25 Malaikah will head to Chicago to present her book to an audience of authors, scholars, professors and journalists. She will share the stage with the likes of Nobel Prize winner and former US Vice President Al Gore, and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan.

Her book 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. 'Stop the Shooting: The Way Bermuda Feels. Expressed Through the Emotions of a 7-Year Old' will be officially launched at a ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.