Is Niagara Falls replacing Switzerland’s Reichenbach as the destination for detectives? Sherlock Holmes would surely recognize the co-incidence and be keen to investigate what’s in store for budding detectives in the digital age.

Bryan Clancy has been engaging learners with the tale of Inanimate Alice for 8 years. Initially, teaching grades 6&7, Alice tagged along while he introduced her to grade 2’s. Now, with grades 3&4 under the magnifying glass, he invites their participation, asking for their help by video invitation while reading through story episodes making them inclusive for every reader. As they follow Alice’s adventures “I can tell they are getting excited to write” he says.

Prior experience with the series has left Bryan well-placed to deliver this born-digital literary work at a distance. Excited by the prospect he has recruited a wider catchment in his plot. He explains “I have been teaching Alice so long that older siblings have been sworn to secrecy as to what happens.” Referring to the closet scene in Russia (Episode 3) as a jumpscare, “some of my little guys are worried that The Last Gas Station will be the scariest because they heard so from older brothers.”

“Even through distance learning, Alice keeps them engaged and talking amongst family members. All the parents know who Alice is.” Presented with Powerpoint and using Google Forms for students’ responses, Bryan employs a wide array of available technologies to give context to his storytelling. On a previous occasion he acquired a lock-box from Home Depot in order to keep Alice’s secrets safe… but that’s another story for another day.

Meanwhile, responding to the question whether she liked Alice, one of Bryan’s students said “Yes, because she is home schooled like we are.”

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