Kailee Jodoin wins national writing contest

Ken Johnston
Editor

Riverview Elementary School in Rainy River has added another name to its list of impressive achievers.
Kailee Jodoin, grade 3 student, was one of ten winners of a national writing contest held by Scholastic Canada Ltd.
A very popular series of mystery books, sold by Scholastic Canada, was the premise for the writing contest. Students had to write a Jig Saw Jones mystery story using many of the same elements found in the Jig Saw Jones books.
Jodoin who had only read one of the books previously said she really enjoyed it. Using that knowledge and elements of a mystery as stated by Jig Saw Jones author James Preller, Kailee wrote “Jake’s Missing Snake.”
The deadline for entry was February 20, 2003 and her teacher Carolyn Kreger said that Kailee along with three other students, Karl Drackert, Caiden Fileccia and Saragh Fraser entered.
To their surprise a letter arrived with a package at Riverview last Monday. The letter was from Scott Robins, editor of the Lucky Book Club at Scholastic Canada. Robins said, “We received many great stories. It was difficult to choose the winners.”
Jodoin received a complete Jig Saw Jones Library and a voice changer kit. It is an approximate $120 prize value.
Because of her win, the entire class also won. Scholastic Canada sent the class a 15 book library for the classroom. “There is a variety of titles for the kids to enjoy,” said Kreger.
Kreger said that Jodoin is a very good writer. “She can write some pretty involved stories.” Kreger credits the extra reading and writing Jodoin and other students do as a factor in winning the contest. “Many of the kids do a lot of reading independent of class.” Kreger also reads to the students frequently, noting that she has read a number of the Jig Saw Jones books to the class.

The Case Of... Jake’s Missing Snake
By Kailee Jodoin

Hi I’m Theodore. My friends call me Jigsaw. I’m a detective. I alwayss make problems go away. I’m the best detective in my second grade class. Mila and me work together.
Mila and me were in the office when Jake came running in. I said, “What’s on your mind? You look worried.” He said huffing, “My rosy boa snake is gone.” Mila screamed, “Snake! I hate snakes!” I asked, “When did you last see him?” “When I was playing with him outside,” said Jake. “We’ll come over tomorrow and ask you some more questions. “Bye”. Mila, I said, you have to help me even though you hate snakes. “I know, I know.”
The next day when Mila and I went over to Jake’s house, when he opened up the door an saw Mila and I he backed up because he still hadn’t forgiven me from when I hurled on his sneakers. He brought us to his room. We started questioning him. Jake answered all the questions quickly. One question I asked him was “where was he when you saw him last? He said “I was playing with him outside. Then I went to the bathroom and left hime but he always stays in one place. he only moves if I move him. He might have slithered away or... someone may have took him. Oh no!” Jake cried. “Don’t worry,” I said. “We’ll ask people in our class if they know anything about your snake.
The next day, Mila and I asked everyone in our class but no one answered about a rosey boa. When we asked Bobby Solofsky, he hesitated and talked in a shaky voice. I watched Bobby carefully all day. When I got home I took out my detective kit and wrote down “Suspects” and put Bobby Solofsky’s name under it.
The next day when I went over to Jake’s house, I brought him a balloon animal that was a snake. It didn’t look very good but he liked it. It made him feel like his snake was with him. He gave me and the balloon a hug. Then I went to watch Bobby more carefully.
Each day Bobby became more and more white with sham. I know he was the one who had taken Jake’s snake. It was all over his face.
I kept asking hime over and over again, the same quetion, but he didn’t give me an answere. He is so stubborn when it comes to questioning. Until... one day he fessed up. He said, “the snake was lying in the grass when I walked by. The snake saw me and started to slither after me. I ran into a garage and quickly snuck out and closed the door behind me. I was so embarrassed to admit that I was scared of the snake that I never told anyone.”
I went to tell Jake the good news. He was so glade I got his snake back, he paid me extra.

Case Closed.