Concept: Discussing current social topics in "T for Tessa" by Frauke Scheunemann (Middle Grade, 11+)

‘T‘ for Tessa The start of a new series by Frauke Scheunemann!

"Without exaggeration: I, Tessa Neumann, am the coolest girl in school. You can't get more fame than me. I look incredibly good, my look is copied by all the girls and everyone would love to have me as a best friend. I have tens of thousands of followers on Insta and when I upload a new video, the Wi-Fi in the cafeteria goes down because everyone wants to see it right away. That's just how it is when you're an influencer - but I can handle it."

Believed everything up to this point? Haha! I'm the coolest girl in school. Don't. In fact, I don't know anyone less fame than me. Not just in our school, but in the whole world. I also never look as great as the hip girls at our school. Even when I'm wearing the exact same clothes. No matter what I do, everything always goes wrong with me. The other day I actually fell between the train and the platform when I got off the S-Bahn. I don't know how I managed that. All I know is that because of me, the S 1 train from Hamburg-Blankenese to the main station was delayed for an hour and I had a mega giant-sized bruise on my leg. Our class teacher Mrs. Hendricks became hysterical and the others laughed themselves silly. Typical Tessa Neumann! But the worst thing was that it was Timo Erhardt from the 10d class, of all people, who pulled me out of the track bed. Timo, the spokesman for the student council, who is so good-looking that I usually can't even look him in the eye. Well, except when he's tugging very hard on my arm to hoist me onto the platform. My God, that was embarrassing! But now I think my chance has finally come: Gimme Four, the girl group consisting of the four hottest girls at her High School, are looking for a new guitarist. And who has been playing the guitar for years? Even if only in a quiet room? That's right. Me, Tessa Neumann. I'll convince Gimme Four that I'm just the right person for their band.

And then my life will finally be completely different! Who knows - maybe even Timo Ehrhardt will realize that I'm no longer the scatterbrain on duty ...

13-year-old Tessa Neumann really doesn't have it easy. Shy, clumsy and a head taller than the other girls in eighth grade, the most unbelievable things happen to her all the time. If chaos is raging somewhere - Tessa is certainly in the middle of it, if not the trigger. Her daydreaming nature also contributes to this: She would love to be someone else - for example, a member of the school band "Gimme Four". This pop group has already won numerous awards and has even been heard on the radio. Mia, Ella, Alex and Kim are all in ninth grade, look fantastic and are also great musicians. With permission from the school administration, they are even allowed to go on tour and are sometimes absent from school for weeks at a time. Tessa admires the girls fervently. Then the unthinkable happens: guitarist Ella leaves the school and the family moves! Now Tessa, who has been playing the guitar herself for years but has been too shy to join a band, summons up all her courage and applies to the remaining Gimme Four. At first, they are not at all enthusiastic about the idea of recording Tessa, of all people. But because the long-planned session as part of the city's music night, which is to be broadcast on television, would otherwise be in danger, Tessa finally gets her chance. Within the bounds of her possibilities, Tessa masters the task brilliantly: there are hardly any casualties during the performance and the school is not burned down either. Still not completely enthusiastic, but not quite so dismissive, the other three girls agree to take Tessa into the band, at least temporarily. She is overjoyed, of course, and throws herself into the rehearsals.

So much so, in fact, that at first she doesn't even notice that something doesn't seem quite right with Gimme Four. Strange rehearsal interruptions and cancellations, strange phone calls and visits the other three seem to have a secret!

When the four of them are invited to a performance in Berlin, a mysterious incident occurs: the girls are followed by strangers, and Kim, Mia and Alex defend themselves with astonishing skill - they are determined not to call the police afterwards. On the way back, Tessa discovers that the suitcase with the microphones contains a revolver and a bag of glittering stones that look like diamonds, and it dawns on her that Gimme Four are probably not just making music together. Tessa considers confronting the others. Gimme Four won't let her in so easily, so she decides not to.

But because she's sure that Gimme Four won't be so easily boxed in by her and will unpack, she decides to keep a closer eye on the trio for now. She also exchanges the glittering stones in the little bag for rhinestones, which she buys in a costume jewelry store in the station concourse. Back in Hamburg, Tessa says goodbye to the others. Allegedly. In reality, she follows the three of them inconspicuously (which of course doesn't work out quite so inconspicuously...) and finds out that the other girls aren't going home, but to a remote hall in the harbor area, along with the microphone case. There the unbelievable happens: Behind a hidden door, the three girls hand the bag over to Mr. Invisible via a flap. Tessa christens him invisible in her mind because he can't actually be seen, but only his voice can be heard over the loudspeakers. Gimme Four tell him what they have found out in Berlin about the trade in so-called blood diamonds, i.e. diamonds whose forbidden sale is used to finance weapons in crisis areas.

Apparently, there is a mafia organization that disguises these diamonds as antique jewelry and is thus able to sell them at high profits, even though the trade in blood diamonds is

strictly forbidden. Gimme Four are on the trail of these backers. Mr. Invisible explains that he will have the diamonds in the bag chemically analyzed to find out their exact country of origin and thus more about the diamond mafia. He tells Gimme Four to stand by for further investigation and takes his leave.

Tessa gets hot and cold in her hideout. Because the country of origin of the stones now in the little bag is clearly Bijoux Brigitte! What if Mr. Invisible finds out?

What he will undoubtedly do! Out of sheer fright and tension, Tessa nervously tilts around on the box on which she has crouched - and promptly falls down with a loud crash! Of course, she is immediately discovered not two seconds later, Gimme Four have her by the scruff of the neck. As the trio surrounds Tessa, she decides that attack is the best defense and confronts the girls with her discovery from Berlin. At first the three react angrily, but then they come to their senses perhaps such a klutz as Tessa is the perfect cover. Camouflage for what?, Tessa naturally asks herself, and Gimme Four explain it to her. They are, in fact, the rapid reaction force for an international ring of agents set out to make the world a little better. Wherever evil operates - whether in child labor, arms trafficking and other sinister machinations, the RING (Rescue by International Non-Government agents) stands up to it. And because evil doesn't expect to be pursued by schoolchildren, Gimme Four are perfectly disguised. And with someone like Tessa, maybe a little more perfectly. Because one thing is clear: now Tessa has to join in. It's the only way to ensure that she doesn't betray Gimme Four. Not much convincing is needed, though, because Tessa is naturally enthusiastic about the idea of making the world a little better herself. If ... yes, if it weren't for her little dexterity problem ... But maybe she can overcome that as a real agent? She'll find out right away if that works, then of course she's now supposed to help bring down the diamond mafia ...

Exciting entertainment for ‘Middle Graders’ aged 10 and up with the classic chick-lit elements (chaotic heroine, bitch alert, school context and a touch of romance).

Combined with an agent plot à la “Three Angels for Charlie” with the comedy of the agent comedy “Austin Powers” - that's the idea behind a new series about the likeable Tessa and the agent trio "Gimme Four" disguised as a pop group. Gimme Four are the special unit of the international secret service RING, which carries out special missions under the guise of a harmless schoolgirl band. This guarantees that each new volume will contain not only a lot of funny stuff from the school environment, but also an exciting case that will keep young readers on their toes. In the series opener, Tessa becomes the new secret agent "by mistake" (Ella has been transferred to another unit), but then increasingly matures into a real top force. Of course, not without still keeping her chaotic nature, which will provide a lot of situational comedy, but also dicey moments!