DOWAGIAC — One Dowagiac Union Schools teacher has been recognized for putting on a detective hat and helping students solve the mystery of the English language.

Justus Gage Elementary School teacher Diane Hartsig recently received Creative Child Awards for her published vocabulary books. She received the 2018 Book of the Year award for her stand-alone book “Critical Thinking Detective,” and the Tillywig award for her series of vocabulary books, “Vocabulary Riddles.”

“It’s nice to be recognized,” Hartsig said. “It is exciting.”

The now award-winning books are vocabulary work books that teach students vocabulary words through riddle-like problems. The “Vocabulary Riddles” series is meant for grades fourth through eighth, while “Critical Thinking Detective” is meant for grades fifth through 12th, as many of the words in the books are contained in SAT prep lists,

Hartsig said the books are meant for high-achieving students looking to expand their vocabulary.

As a former journalist turned fifth-grade teacher, Hartsig said she has always had a fondness for words and has long wanted to write a book. She said that when she came up with the idea for a book of vocabulary riddles, she knew she had stumbled upon a good idea.

“When I hear a word I don’t know, it’s like speaking a different language. If you don’t know the word, you don’t know what the speaker is trying to say,” Hartsig said. “So, I eventually thought, that a sentence with a lot of vocabulary words in it would be like a riddle. That’s how all this got started.”

The riddle format of her books is what she thinks sets them apart from other books. She added that she believes the books connect with children, as she has seen her own students use her vocabulary books in the classroom after they have completed their work for the day.

“Seeing [students and children] use my books is cool, but the best part is when I hear them use a word they learned in a sentence,” she said. “I love when they use a word and take ownership of it.”

Going forward, Hartsig said she is considering writing more books — she has just finished a sequel to “Critical Thinking Detective” — and hopes to continue to instill a love of words in her students.

“Language and words are an important to how we express ourselves. The way someone writes or the way someone speaks really reflects the way they are thinking, and I think that the more vocabulary words kids have, the more they can express themselves,” she said. “I think that is really important, and for everyone to keep learning.”