Publisher Description

See where London takes Zee next in Book 2 of The Zee Files, the spin-off series to the bestselling Mackenzie Blue books!Featured in Children's Book Council's July 2022 Hot off the Press list!"The second book in the [Zee Files] series continues to follow Mackenzie (Zee) Blue Carmichael through her life in her new school, the Hollows. She has been so stressed with her academics, new country, new home, new school, new friends, and the upcoming festival performance that her teacher reached out to her father and Zee has started seeing a counselor at school. . . [Zee] has a few successes toward the end. . . Scattered illustrations throughout the book are well designed and carried out, I especially enjoy how emotive they are."
--Youth Services Book Review"In this second installment of the Zee Files, a spinoff of the Mackenzie Blue series, Zee is preparing a song for her school's art festival. Year nine has proven to be difficult as she adjusts to her new life in the U.K. and being the new student at a posh British boarding school. Zee's classmates proffer coping tips: meditation, yoga, affirmations. Then Zee begins to see a therapist who encourages journaling. . . Zee is definitely a girl of the 21st century."
--Kirkus ReviewsThe crew can't stop talking about the school's biggest event and talent show of the year, the Creative Arts Festival. But while Zee's excited to see her friends and schoolmates perform, she's not sure if she'll ever be ready for the stage. She's never performed in front of so many people before, or without her bandmates--or in England, no less!With the Festival slowly approaching, classes also get harder while things with her friends and family become more complicated. Will Zee be able to pull it all together in time?

Author Biography

Tina Wells is the author of seven books, including the best-selling tween fiction series Mackenzie Blue, and its 2020 spinoff series, The Zee Files. Tina is also business strategist, advisor, author, and the founder of RLVNT Media, a multimedia content venture serving entrepreneurs, tweens and culturists with authentic representation. Tina has been recognized by Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business, Essence's 40 Under 40, and more. For over two decades she led Buzz Marketing Group, an agency she founded at age 16 with clients like Dell, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Kroger, Apple, P+G, Johnson & Johnson, and American Eagle that Tina connected with her network of 30,000 buzzSpotters(R) and 7,000 "momSpotters", all influential millennials and passionate end-consumers. Tina's board positions have included THINX, the United Nations Foundation's Global Entrepreneurs Council, The Franklin Institute and Young Entrepreneur's Council. She has also served as the Academic Director for Wharton's Leadership in the Business World Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Mike Segawa is a children's book illustrator, and wears many hats in the art and design world. Previously to The Zee Files series, Mike illustrated Tina Wells' previous bestselling series, McKenzie Blue. He also works as an art director, graphic designer, and environmental designer. He splits his time between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California.

Review

"The Zee Files and All that Glitters launch a new series following 13-year-old Mackenzie Blue 'Zee' Carmichael, who starts at a new boarding school when her family relocates to England from California."
--Publishers Weekly, Spring 2022 Children's Announcements

Promotional "Headline"

AWARDS: submit widely to YA/children's book awards including those focus on Black/diverse writers and characters ADVERTISING: key placements early on in trade publications; social ads/AMS ads around publication date and to drive preorders; considering placements in target publications i.e. TODAY Parents, Bustle EVENTS: virtual/in-person author events with indie bookstores and libraries REVIEWS: extensive byline, review, interview, and excerpt outreach to children's book media, including YA blogs and podcasts, bookstagrammers/booktok/booktube, book radio/tv, parenting/family radio/tv, national trade ONLINE: full social media campaign utilizing illustrations from the book and outreach to YA/MG bookstagrammers and reviewers to do unboxing videos, etc.; book trailer will be available early PROMOTION: DRC via Edelweiss and hard copy ARC available; outreach via author's substantial network; giveaways via Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon Vine TRADESHOWS: giveaways/features at ALA, PNBA, MPIBA, CALIBA

Author Comments

"I'd been dreaming up an idea for a few years that explored Mackenzie Blue a few years older, dealing with teen issues. After a rejuvenating weekend in the Cotswolds at Soho Farmhouse, I thought that there was no better place for a creative arts boarding school. I'm from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, so I loved the idea of creating an environment where Mackenzie and friends connected with nature daily and were inspired by their surroundings, which was definitely my experience in growing up."

Excerpt from Book

Chapter 1: Family Reunion "Zee, darling, breakfast is ready!" Mrs. Carmichael called from the kitchen. Mackenzie Blue Carmichael turned over in her bed and looked toward the window, searching for her cell phone to check the time. Her hand whacked against the nightstand, knocking over her journal, but she caught her phone before it could fall to the ground too. The oversized numbers on the screen read 7:15 a.m. Zee had looked forward to sleeping in a bit longer than she would back on campus at The Hollows, but alas, between the twins rising at sunup and her father's early schedule, the whole house had been dressed and ready for the day for the past hour. Zee sat up in bed and looked at her phone with tired eyes. A message had come in from Ally, her BFF currently living in Paris. It was a copy of the train schedule from London to Paris for the next week. Ally and Zee have been best friends since they both lived in California and attended the same grade school, Brookdale Academy. Ally moved to Paris a few years ago, and Zee just moved to London at the end of summer after her father took a new job. Zee and Ally planned to meet up in Paris this week while Zee was on fall break--Ally's parents recently split up, and she could use some cheering up from her bubbly and energetic friend Zee. Let me check and see which day will work! Zee texted back. She was excited to make this trip happen, especially since Ally had canceled on her when they scheduled their first reunion in Paris right before school started. Zee threw the covers off of the bed, swung her legs off the edge of the bed, and stood up. She stretched her arms overhead and rose to her tippy toes before relaxing her heels back down to the floor. It was her first night's sleep back in her London home since she went off to boarding school. There was something so comforting about her old bed, the way the worn-in mattress hugged her body and the softness of her favorite flannel sheets.

Description for Sales People

Connected and highly influential author. A unique new series of books for underrepresented readers 11 to 14 years old. Tina handpicked writer-collaborator Stephanie Smith and illustrator Veronica Miller Jamison, also Black women, to join her in creating this spinoff of her bestselling Mackenzie Blue series for younger readers. Zee character was inspired by #legendpearl model who can be seen on IG. Prequel series, Mackenzie Blue series sold over 170,000 units. Librarians loved Mackenzie Blue series because it was great for at risk/Hi-Lo readers and first book was Accelerated Reader pick. Mackenzie Blue series was sold in: UK/Australia/New Zealand, South Africa, India, Germany, China, Hong Kong and Korea. Represented by and publicized by influential public relations firm Skai Blue Media. Only 10% of books published depict African American characters (source: Cooperative Children's Book Center, 2019) and even fewer are #ownvoices books created by Black authors and artists, making THE ZEE FILES a valuable "windows and mirrors" choice (stories that reflect own cultures to build identity and stories that offer a view into someone else's experience) for tween fiction readers. Tina says, "I developed this project because I saw a need for kids to read about an empowering female protagonist of color who portrays positive social emotional learning traits [empathy, positive relationships, recognizing and managing emotions, problem-solving, grit and perseverance, and perspective-taking.] It is also important to me that these books cover issues like puberty and first-love, school anxiety, divorce, displacement, and activism." The first book in the Zee Files series will be released exclusively in brick-and-mortar Target stores as well as on Target.com on December 1, 2020. Three subsequent titles are slated to launch the following year. Target is highly invested in the brand and will highlight to series in stores with a video loop in media section and end cap and will feature online with dedicated Zee page on target.com as well as e-flyers, emails, social media promotions, etc. Lexile 760L; F&P Text Level X.

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