Our Mysterious Aunt

Our Mysterious Aunt is an intriguing mystery fiction novel told through a series of email exchanges between Lee and his sister. Lee travels to his uncle's house in the countryside, far from his home in Singapore. There, he encounters his mysterious Aunt Lynn, whose unusual activities in the basement spark his curiosity. The story unfolds as Lee delves deeper into the strange occurrences surrounding his aunt, all while navigating cultural differences between his family and his uncle's rural lifestyle. The use of email format enhances the modern and relatable feel of the narrative, allowing readers to connect with the communication between characters from different parts of the world. This book not only fosters literacy and comprehension but also encourages children to explore themes like technology's role in connecting people across cultures, the use of descriptive language, and making inferences about character intentions and events. The suspenseful storyline and exploration of cultural values make Our Mysterious Aunt a fascinating read for young learners, offering both entertainment and educational value.

Educational Benefits:

• Promotes comprehension skills through the use of email format, which engages students in understanding modern communication methods.
• Enhances inference-making skills by encouraging students to deduce hidden meanings behind the characters' actions and events.
• Explores cultural differences and helps students understand how diverse practices and values shape family interactions.
• Develops students' vocabulary and descriptive language skills through the detailed storytelling and vivid character descriptions.

Classroom Ideas:

• After reading, have students rewrite a part of the story from a different character's perspective, reinforcing understanding of point of view.
• Organise a class discussion about the cultural differences between Lee's family and his uncle's, and encourage students to share their own experiences of different cultures.
• Introduce a creative activity where students make their own mystery stories using emails or letters as a storytelling format.
• Ask students to predict what they think Aunt Lynn is doing in the basement, then compare their predictions with the actual events in the story, reinforcing prediction and inference skills.

Information:

• Ages: 9+ years
• Reading Level: 29-30 (Sapphire)
• Fiction genre with mystery, communication, and cultural exploration