About
“The Adventures of Mackenzie and Cristen,” a children’s book series, written for middle school aged children (9 – 13), shares African-American history, culture and social themes in a contemporary, family setting. The series was released in January 2016. The lead characters, Mackenzie and Cristen, two cousins from a close extended family, learn about the value of family, historical events and contributions, as well as critical thinking skills through adventures they experience while spending time together.
Each book in the series is accompanied with educator materials for both homeschool and classroom environments. Discussion topics, multiple choice quizzes and cross-curriculum exercises further support the importance of the subject matter covered and continues the dialogue and value of family, faith and fun.
About the Author:
Belinda Everette, author of the exciting new children’s series, “The Adventures of Mackenzie and Cristen,” is educating and entertaining our ‘tweens’ with great stories about history, current events and contemporary family dynamics while stimulating interest in reading and shedding light on the life lessons facing our children today. With each story, Ms. Everette gives us a vivid, funny, engaging and joyful read.
After 26 years in Corporate America, as an SVP leading financial market management for industry giants, Citibank, Wells Fargo and Countrywide/Bank of America, Belinda left the briefcase and the boardroom, and opted to make a difference through the power of the pen.
“My financial services career gave me experiences of a lifetime; influencing business goals and objectives and achieving results through the development of people. The most rewarding aspect of the career path I walked was hiring or promoting someone for a job well done. Mentoring and career development was a privilege that I hold in highest regard. Helping a person become the best version of themselves and allowing them to contribute their personal talents is a true honor and a responsibility that I value more than the job itself.”
From early childhood, the written word has always been a passion and Belinda chose to pursue her dream of artistic self-expression through writing. After completing creative writing studies at Rice University in 2014, writing projects became the priority.
About the Characters:
Mackenzie and Cristen are two bright and busy young ladies who find adventure in the world around them. They are cousins from a close-knit family who value culture and tradition and encourage imagination and creativity. The girls are very curious and explore everything from music, holidays, and family history with parents and family elders as the ‘go-to’ resource.
The family is big and located all over the United States. Mackenzie lives in Chicago and Cristen lives in Houston, but the distance only serves as a big backdrop for the girls to find more adventures. Each year the girls share summer breaks, winter holidays and special family remembrances, making the sure they have a solid foundation in the culture and values of the African-American family.
Mackenzie:
A spunky, twelve year old, Mackenzie loves sports, music and the culinary arts. When not practicing for track, basketball or cheerleading, ‘Mackie’ as she is fondly called by friends and family, is cooking up something in the kitchen. She likes to bake creative desserts, cookies and cakes and share them with friends and family. She loves her visits each summer in Houston and equally looks forward to the times when Cristen and the rest of the family come to Chicago to share the traditions of the winter holidays.
Cristen:
Like her cousin, Cristen is twelve years old. She is naturally creative and likes to paint and draw. Her favorite color is pink! She has played the piano since kindergarten and enjoys playing music and creating songs for her family to enjoy. Cristen also loves athletics. She is the fastest runner at her school and competes in track meets and cheerleading competitions. Her favorite time of year is summer when cousin Mackenzie comes to Houston for her annual visit. She equally loves to share the Christmas in Chicago and delights in the winter snow.
A super fast, super fun read, full of facts and information for young and old readers alike. My son Michael and I learned so much just from reading this little nugget. The History of Juneteenth is explained in very basic dialogue perfect for kids to be able to understand. In addition to the easy to follow and entertaining story line, the book comes with educator materials to use in your classroom. Diverse in content and characters, Summer Vacation is a book every library should have on hand.
~ Margie
