Children's Books (ages 8-12) • Novels

Aşağİstanbul
ISTANBUL BELOW

Melis Sena Yılmaz

Editor: Müren Beykan

An “unusual” Istanbul adventure!

Young author Melis Sena Yılmaz invites her readers to an unusual, surreal Istanbul in her first children’s novel.  She takes us on an unforgettable journey through the mysterious streets of Istanbul Below, accessed from the Galata district.  Flowing with a clear language from the eyes of a child chasing the unknown by following her father’s footsteps, the novel is enriched with amazing characters and surprising places. A fantasy adventure that praises the unlimited imagination of childhood, which makes us to think about the question “What would it be like if there was a different Istanbul?”. It’s a story that makes us feel the value of the differences that we need to protect and keep alive.

Overview

Zeynep’s father who is a detective, has suddenly disappeared. Following his trail, Zeynep finds herself together with her carefree grandmother in the extraordinary streets of an unusual mysterious Istanbul, the Istanbul Below. She manages to make friends in this mysterious, seemingly unsafe world with its strange seagulls, Galata unicorns, wild lamps and satyrs. However, while the villains were making big plans to reveal the secrets of this world, would Zeynep be able to find her father, with the help of Orkun, Santa Claus and Süslü, and save Istanbul Below and its inhabitants?

AUTHOR

Melis Sena Yılmaz

Melis Sena Yılmaz was born in Bursa in 1997. She studied in and received her master’s degree from Boğaziçi University, Department of Economics in Istanbul. She worked as a scriptwriter in a children’s play and her stories were published in various platforms. She was influenced by Karaköy and Şişhane districts of Istanbul, where she worked during her studentship years. After her debut children’s novel Istanbul Below (Aşağistanbul, 2022) which is a fantastic fiction taking place under the streets of Istanbul , […]
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