Update: Hilde Lysiak, the 9-year-old reporter who shares local news stories from her Pennsylvania hometown (and who broke a murder story this year), has signed a book deal with Scholastic. The company will publish Hilde Cracks the Case, a four-book fiction series aimed at 6- to 8-year-olds. The series, written by Lysiak and her father, will launch in fall 2017. "I want kids who read these books to love reporting like I do," Lysiak said in a statement about the book release.
This story was originally published on April 5, 2016. She might be the next big thing in journalism — but she has to finish elementary school first. On Tuesday, The Washington Post shared the adorable story of Hilde Kate Lysiak, an aspiring reporter who shares news about local events from her hometown, Selinsgrove, PA. With her 12-year-old sister's help, Lysiak has created the Orange Street News, which includes headlines like, "Grove Chooses New Cop." This weekend, the Orange Street News covered a local crime scene, and Hilde's website had her article up before the local news outlet reporting on the events. She spoke with police officers and neighbors, publishing the story with the headline "EXCLUSIVE: MURDER ON NINTH STREET!" The Post explains. Unfortunately, Lysiak already has detractors, despite the fact that she's only in third grade. Commenters on the Orange Street News Facebook page wrote things like, "I think this is appalling that u [sic] would do a story like this when all the facts are not in yet." Others suggested that a 9-year-old shouldn't be reporting on crime stories. But this budding journalist won't let negative comments keep her down. She posted a video, titled "OSN Responds to Critics," on her website, and she makes it crystal-clear that she's not trying to fit the mold of what a "cute" child should be. "If you want me to stop covering news, then you get off your computers and do something about the news," Lysiak said in the video. "There, is that cute enough for you?"
This story was originally published on April 5, 2016. She might be the next big thing in journalism — but she has to finish elementary school first. On Tuesday, The Washington Post shared the adorable story of Hilde Kate Lysiak, an aspiring reporter who shares news about local events from her hometown, Selinsgrove, PA. With her 12-year-old sister's help, Lysiak has created the Orange Street News, which includes headlines like, "Grove Chooses New Cop." This weekend, the Orange Street News covered a local crime scene, and Hilde's website had her article up before the local news outlet reporting on the events. She spoke with police officers and neighbors, publishing the story with the headline "EXCLUSIVE: MURDER ON NINTH STREET!" The Post explains. Unfortunately, Lysiak already has detractors, despite the fact that she's only in third grade. Commenters on the Orange Street News Facebook page wrote things like, "I think this is appalling that u [sic] would do a story like this when all the facts are not in yet." Others suggested that a 9-year-old shouldn't be reporting on crime stories. But this budding journalist won't let negative comments keep her down. She posted a video, titled "OSN Responds to Critics," on her website, and she makes it crystal-clear that she's not trying to fit the mold of what a "cute" child should be. "If you want me to stop covering news, then you get off your computers and do something about the news," Lysiak said in the video. "There, is that cute enough for you?"