Alena Pitts is the youngest African American female published writer in Christian publishing.
By Deidra Romero
Zonderkidz, an imprint of Zondervan, recently announced they are welcoming a new author into their family of Faithgirlz writers. And not just any author—Alena Pitts is the youngest African American female published writer in Christian publishing. At 12-years-old Alena is no stranger to the spotlight.
You may recognize her from her role in the runaway hit movie of 2015, War Room. She starred alongside Priscilla Shirer as her daughter. Prior to her big screen debut Alena only had experience acting in homemade movies with her sisters and in school plays. Since her professional acting career launched she has become a model and contributor to the Girls Just Like You magazine.
Annette Bourland, Senior VP and Publisher with Zonderkidz said in a statement, “We’re thrilled to have Alena Pitts as our newest Faithgirlz author. Alena is a bright and shining role model for our pre-teen readers. She uses her many talents to share her faith and touch the lives of others. She knows what matters to the hearts of girls because she is one.”
Alena’s Faithgirlz book, Hello Stars, part of her Lena in the spotlight series, tells the story of Lena Daniels’ rise to fame, which mirrors Alena’s own path to stardom. Lena never dreamed she’d be starring in a film alongside her all-time favorite singer, but when she lands an audition and eventually the role, her life takes many unexpected turns. Fame turns out to be much different than Lena expected. Will she turn to her friends, faith and family to keep her grounded and focused on what really matters?
Alena said of the project, “Honestly, it feels a little strange to have my stories published, but at the same time I’m super excited and can’t wait to see how God uses this series to reach other girls.”
Alena isn’t the only author working on her series. She is joined by her mother, editor and author Wynter Pitts. “My prayer is that while girls will enjoy the twists and turns of Lena’s movie-making adventure, they will also become aware that God has a unique plan and purpose for their lives and it will always include loving those around them,” said Wynter Pitts,” commented Wynter.
If you aren’t familiar with the Faithgirlz series, it’s a collection geared towards tween girls ages 9 to 12. The mission of Faithgirlz is to give girls resources with strong faith messages. According to Zonderkidz “Faithgirlz empowers girls to joyfully explore, grow and proclaim their Christian faith.” Zonderkidz knows that the pre-teen years are pivotal years in the lives of kids and most people who come to faith do so before the age of 13 and with the guidance of their parents.
The Faithgirlz collection has everything from fiction books to devotionals and even a Faithgirlz club where young readers can meet other Faithgirlz in their community. They join together to discuss the Faithgirlz books and the biblical messages behind them as well as fun activities like crafts and of course—girl talk!
Many well-known Christian fiction authors have contributed to the series over the years. Melody Carlson, Robin Carrol and Nancy Rue have all written titles for the collection. Last year Grammy-award winning vocalist Natalie Grant published a three-book series titled Glimmer Girls based on the life of her three daughters who go on tour with their famous singer, songwriter mom.