A 16-year-old fantasy author from Tokoroa as been named on TIME magazine’s first Girls of the Year 2025 list.
The TIME list featured 10 “extraordinary young leaders” between the ages of 12 and 17 who were nominated for their global impact, and were inspiring communities around the world.
Author Rutendo Shadaya was the only person nominated from Australasia, and told Breakfast she “couldn’t believe this was real” when she was told the news.
“I signed up, agreed to work with them and was looking forward to where it will take me.”
Shadaya’s two self-published books: Rachel and the Enchanted Forest (2020) and Rachel and the Chevene Pirates (2022) drew inspiration from her own friendships and culture as a Zimbabwean-New Zealander.
Both storylines featured themes of strong female empowerment, and growth, which she said resonated with her as a writer.
“With my main character Rachel, it shows the character development from this shy girl to this empowering girl that goes out of her comfort zone, similar to my writing as well.”
Shadaya admitted that she “didn’t actually like writing” when she first picked up the pen at age 9.
“The way I came up with the story and stuff was basically what I grew up around, so the TV shows, the books I read… When I form these characters I was just thinking based on a little bit of what I’ve seen in real life and a little bit of what I’ve seen on TV.
“Just a cool, relatable, character or like something that I would kind of read.”
She said she planned to write two more books in the Rachel series before the end of school.
TIME magazine’s full list of nominees
Rutendo Shadaya, 16, an advocate for young authors in New Zealand
Coco Yoshizawa, 15, an Olympic gold-medalist in Japan
Valerie Chiu, 15, a global science educator in China
Zoé Clauzure, 15, an anti-bullying crusader in France
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Clara Proksch, 12, a scientist prioritizing child safety in Germany
Ivanna Richards, 17, a racing driver shattering stereotypes in Mexico
Kornelia Wieczorek, 17, a biotech innovator in Poland
Defne Özcan, 17, a trailblazing pilot in Turkey
Rebecca Young, 12, an engineer tackling homelessness in the United Kingdom
Naomi S. DeBerry, 12, an organ donation advocate and children’s book author in the United States.
