Eight-year-old Jayce Joyce has added another remarkable achievement to his young writing career by becoming the world’s youngest editor of a published anthology. According to Guinness World Records, Jayce achieved the record in Birmingham, UK, on February 13, 2026, when he was 7 years and 290 days old. The young author had already published his first books at just four, beginning a journey that has since taken him into editing, literacy advocacy and publishing.
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From young author to editor
Jayce's interest in books began remarkably early. According to Guinness World Records, he published his first books when he was four years old. His own publishing history lists his first two books, Jayce's Sweet Tooth and A Beach With No Sea, as being published on World Book Day in 2023, when he was four.
His early books were only the beginning. Jayce went on to write more children's books, including Jayce's Alphabet Rules, while developing a wider interest in encouraging children to read and write. His work increasingly focused not only on his own stories but also on giving other children opportunities to have their writing published. That interest eventually led him to take on the role of editor.
The anthology that made history
Jayce's record came through Our Stories, Our World, a child-led anthology featuring writing from 20 young authors between the ages of 6 and 10. Jayce curated and edited the collection at the age of seven, helping bring together stories written by children from across the UK. The anthology was created through the Books From Children To Children initiative, which aims to encourage young people to write and share their stories. The project gave young writers the opportunity to have their work included in a published collection.
For Jayce, the project represented a different kind of achievement from publishing his own books. As an author, he had already experienced the process of seeing his ideas become books. As an editor, he helped shape and organise the work of other young writers. Guinness World Records officially recognised him as the youngest editor of a published anthology (male) on February 13, 2026. At the time, he was 7 years and 290 days old.
A focus on children's voices
Jayce's achievement has also become closely connected with his wider interest in literacy. Guinness World Records describes him as an author and literacy advocate whose books and community work encourage children to develop a love of reading, writing and creativity. His publishing work has expanded alongside this mission. Jayce's World website says the anthology was designed to give young writers a platform and describes Our Stories, Our World as a nationwide child-led project. The collection was officially launched at the Library of Birmingham.
The project also reflects a broader idea that Jayce has championed: children can be creators as well as readers. By editing the anthology, he helped bring the work of other young writers together in a published collection while gaining experience in a role beyond his own work as an author. Now eight, Jayce continues to write and work on literacy initiatives. His journey from publishing his first books at four to becoming a Guinness World Records title holder at seven shows how quickly a childhood interest in storytelling can grow into something much bigger. His record is therefore not simply about his age. It also highlights the opportunities that can emerge when children are encouraged to write, publish and help give other young voices a place on the page.
