Sahara Sunday Spain facts for kids

Sahara Sunday Spain (born November 12, 1991) is a businesswoman and a former child author. She is the leader of the Gentle Earth Project.

When she was 9 years old, Sahara became America's youngest published author at that time. This happened in 2001 with her poetry book, If There Would Be No Light: Poems From My Heart. A big publisher, SanFrancisco Harper Collins, bought her book. They paid her a good amount of money, and 15,000 copies of her book were printed first. The book is a collection of poems Sahara wrote when she was very young.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up and Traveling

Sahara Sunday Spain was born in San Francisco, California. Her mother, Elisabeth Sunday, is a modern artist and photographer. Her father, Johnny Spain, was a civil rights activist. Her parents divorced in 1993.

As a child, Sahara spent a lot of time traveling with her mother. They explored countries across Africa, Asia, and Australia. By the time she was in high school, Sahara had lived in more than 20 different countries!

Schooling and College

Sahara attended The Nueva School in Hillsborough, California. This is a special private school for very talented students. For high school, she went to Idyllwild Arts Academy. Later, she earned her degrees from Colgate University.

Sahara's Career Journey

Becoming a Young Author

Sahara wrote her first poem, "Mother's Milk," when she was just five years old. This poem is included in her only published book. It talks about the special bond between a mother and child. Her mother first collected Sahara's poems and drawings. She gave them as gifts to friends and family.

SanFrancisco Harper Collins then discovered her work. They paid her a significant amount of money for the book. The first printing included 15,000 copies. At 9 years old, Sahara was the youngest author in America to have her own book published. Her book contains 61 poems. These poems are illustrated with her own drawings. She created these between the ages of 5 and 8.

Her book gained a lot of attention around the world. She was featured on TV shows like The Early Show with Bryant Gumbel and Spark on KQED. She also appeared on To Tell the Truth and the French station TF1's Drôle de petits champions. Many newspapers and magazines also wrote about her. These included The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, San Francisco Chronicle, The Oakland Tribune, Time for Kids, and the French magazine OH LA! in May 2001.

The Gentle Earth Project

In 2021, Sahara began working on an idea that became the Gentle Earth Project in 2024. This project helps to fix damaged natural areas and support communities that need help. It aims to bring balance back to these places.

The Gentle Earth Project uses smart ways to make money. This helps them not only heal nature but also create healthy environments. Their goal is for both people and the planet to thrive for many years to come.

Helping Others: Charity Work

In 2001, Sahara founded a non-profit group called The Kah-Monno Group. This group started a school for girls in Mali, Africa. The school worked to help more girls get an education in rural areas. It also helped to stop forced child marriage in the area. The school operated for 15 years. It had to close in 2014 because of a civil war.

Published Work

• If There Would Be No Light: Poems From My Heart. By Sahara Sunday Spain. HarperOne. 2001

See also

In Spanish: Sahara Sunday Spain para niños