Local Author's Book Read by Sixth Grade Class
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This spring, the sixth graders at New Glarus Elementary school read Intrigue in Istanbul: An Agnes Kelly Mystery Adventure by Christine Keleny. Christine lives in the New Glarus area and her daughter, Rachel Craven, who is now a junior at UW-Madison, went to the New Glarus schools.
A year ago, as part of the sixth grade class's mystery reading curriculum, Christine spoke about her historical fiction book written around the three primary creators of Nancy Drew titled Will the Real Carolyn Keene Please Stand Up. Intrigue in Istanbul was just coming out then and the sixth grade teachers thought it would be a great book for the kids to read.
Mrs. Legler said, "Our ELA standards include using/understanding figurative language (and) increasing/understanding new vocabulary...both of which (Christine's) book addresses." Mrs. Legler stated that it fit into the social studies curriculum as well since the main character in the book, twelve-year-old Agnes Kelly, visits Istanbul, Turkey, with her grandmother. It allows the teachers to compare and contrast the differences between the ancient and more modern world.
The book, a Moonbeam Children's Book Award winner, takes place in 1961, just after Agnes' father has died. What Agnes doesn't know, until she gets to Turkey, is that he died under suspicious circumstances. Agnes, who is a book worm, makes friends with a local Turkish boy and finds out that the adage, you can't judge a book by it's cover, isn't just about books.
"I enjoyed meeting with both the 2016 and 2017 sixth grade classes. I was impressed by the kids' sincere interest in learning how I go about writing a story. They had some great questions for me," Christine said. "And both classes were very polite. I am honored and tickled to share my book with a school that did so much for my family. It makes all the time and effort that goes into publishing worth while."
Locally, Christine has given a writing class to teens at the Belleville library, a writing workshop at the Monroe and New Glarus libraries, and has volunteered to teach a class a writing and publishing class to elementary and grade school children for the last three summers. Christine designs and publishes a book from the stories that the kids create in the class.
If you are interested in finding out more about Christine Keleny and her books, you can see all of her books at christinekelenybooks.com or ask your local library.
