Amazing alliteration aid: Glenview author writes book to teach children grammar

Glenview's Kimberly Karzen took a roundabout way to writing a children's book on grammar.

The author of "Tongue Twisters that Teach" (Rubber Ducky Press, 2022), Karzen taught business classes for 15 years at Lyons Township High School and six at Glenbrook North, leaving there in 2021.

A native of Cascade, Iowa, near Dubuque, she walked onto the Indiana University women's track and field and cross country teams, and earned a degree in marketing through Indiana's Kelley School of Business.

Karzen then earned her business education teaching certificate at the University of Missouri, and a master's degree in education from Maryville University in St. Louis.

Having taught business classes most of her career, particularly business law, during the pandemic she got the idea of writing a book to help students write their essays for college admittance.

"That's all writing," Karzen said of business law. "It's one of the hardest things for students. It's not like a true-false test."

The 32-page "Tongue Twisters that Teach," illustrated by Kirsty Oxley of Scotland, who Karzen found online, uses alliteration and the same grammar pattern for each letter of the alphabet - proper name, adverb, verb, adjective, and noun.

Culturally and gender diverse, with a glossary and activities in the back, the book is described by Amazon as suitable for children ages 4 to 8, though it also could be a resource in ESL programs.

Karzen has done book readings at the Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview and Barnes & Noble in Algonquin.

A 500-hour certified yoga instructor, part-time mainly at CorePower Yoga in Glenview, she also is an administrative assistant to her husband, John, co-owner with his brother, Jerry, of the North Shore Racquet Club in Northbrook.

"My career as an educator was amazing," Karzen said. "It really was a fluid transition to writing a book."

The Herald asked Karzen some follow-up questions. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Q. Did you have a child or student read your book before it was published? Were their thoughts useful to you?

Karzen: I had my 10-year-old nephew, Quincy, read the book through with me several times. He was an amazing editor when it came to pictures. For example, he noticed that "Dayne was painting dreary dragons" - not "drawing." He also had opinions on certain words and color choices for the pages. It was humbling.

Q. What's with a business teacher writing a children's book on grammar?

Karzen: I taught various subjects in business; however, business law required more writing than other classes. I noticed that students struggled because they couldn't research an answer or use personal anecdotes. They needed to find the descriptive words to make their arguments. Writing takes practice.

During the pandemic, my two youngest nephews were given work sheets that had them circling nouns, underlining adjectives, etc. Doing an assignment like that actually teaches kids to look for patterns rather than learn grammar.

Getting students to start using colorful words to make sentences come alive is a lot easier to teach at a younger age, plus they have more years of practice. The idea was that by the time they would get to high school that writing would be easier.

Q. How has the reaction been to the book?

Karzen: It has been awesome! My teacher friends use the book as enrichment or supplemental work for students in the classroom. Parents and grandparents have said that reading with their youngster is fun, silly and, at the same time, educational. (But don't tell the kids that.)

I've had assistant superintendents buy it for ESL (English as a Second Language) classrooms and even special education classrooms. The book readings I've done have been met with success, as well. I couldn't be more pleased.

Q. How did you work in alliteration, adverbs and the like with the letter, X?

Karzen: I did a lot of online research for words and definitions, and I borrowed my parents' very old thesaurus and dictionary that they had lying around. It was hard, I am not going to lie.

Q. Any plans to write another book?

Karzen: At this time I am concentrating on selling this one. I believe so strongly in the need and use for a book like this. I hope that if this is a success to start doing books specifically for each part of speech.