PEN Center USA Announces 2016 Literary Awards
Congratulations are in order for the PEN Center USA winners for 2016! Sandra Cisneros, Scott Blackwood, Jill Leovy and other distinguished authors will be honored at the 26th Annual Literary Awards Festival on September 26. The winners will receive a $1,000 prize at the ceremony hosted by actors/authors Amber Tamblyn and David Cross. For a full list of the winners, click here.
Infographics: Visual Learning Tools for Literature Educators
Continuing with the neat-o infographic piece in a previous news roundup here at Change Seven, I found a story on T|H|E Journal referencing some classic literature visuals available at Course Hero. High school AP English and journalism advisor Kathi Duffel is quoted in the article:
“As an educator, I see these infographics as a fun, visual way to immediately immerse students in the essential ideas, concepts and literary devices that can facilitate their understanding and appreciation of literature.”
The infographics are delightful and diverse, and offer teachers an important – and free – resource to engage students.
Authors included in the visual collection include Toni Morrison, Shakespeare, George Eliot, Margaret Atwood, and much more.
What are your thoughts on these? Are these the next-gen CliffsNotes? Feel free to leave your comments below.
Literary Peace Prize Awarded to Marilynne Robinson
Marilynne Robinson, author of the Gilead trilogy, has won the Richard C Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award. Bestowed by the Dayton Literary Peace Prize (DLPP) Foundation, the honor is given to individuals who facilitate “peace, social justice, and global understanding.” Former winners of the award include Gloria Steinem, Elie Wiesel, and Louise Erdrich. The honor will be presented on November 20. Congratulations Marilynn Robinson!
Books & Pokémon Go
Aveline Gregoire, a Belgian primary school educator, has generated a lot of excitement with a new online game inspired by the success of Pokémon Go. Centered around a Facebook group that now has 40,000 people, players place books around southern Belgium and leave clues within the game. Once a book is read, the players hide it and leave hints for the next reader to find it. One happy user, Jessica Detournay says,
“My daughter said it’s like hunting for Easter eggs, only with books.”
With the growing popularity, Gregoire is considering developing an app as well. Read on, play on!
Party with Harry Potter!
It’s never too early to start planning for a party. Following up from Em Ramser’s Harry Potter news last week, Gizmodo just published a piece about a new gadget that could be perfect for your Halloween party this year. This magic spellbook glows, comes with creepy sounds, and a moving quill! If you are a gadget guru and Potter fan, check it out.
Come back and visit Change Seven every Monday for your weekly lit news!
Laurel Dowswell is the Features Editor at Change Seven. Her short story “I Am theEggman” was nominated for the 2016 Pushcart Prize. She was a copy editor for an independent feminist newspaper in Santa Fe, NM, after being raised and educated in Florida. She lives and writes in Georgia, just outside of Atlanta with her son. She is currently working on a novel filled with oil paintings, family drama, and the spectrum of sexuality. Follow her on Twitter @laurels_idea.
Change Seven Magazine 