The presentation by Calle Friesen emphasizes the need for incorporating 'new literacies' such as illustrated novels, digi-fiction, graphic novels, and manga into traditional literature instruction to align with the skills required of 21st century readers. It describes the evolution of literacy in a technology-driven world and highlights various emerging literary genres that reflect current cultural themes. The document serves as a resource for educators looking to enhance their curriculum with modern texts that engage students and address diverse reading needs.

1. 21st Century
Literature
for
21st Century Readers
Presented by Calle Friesen
Buena Vista University
ICTE 2011

2. Presentation Goals
• Understand the importance of embracing
“new literacies” in today’s classrooms
• Introduce 6 popular 21st Century Genres
• Illustrated Novels
• Digi-Fiction
• Graphic Novels
• Manga
• Doodle Fiction
• Blog, E-mail, and IM Novels

3. Presentation Goals
• Participants walk away with practical
ideas for incorporating modern texts
into traditional literature instruction
• Consider new definition of what it
means to be literate in our current
culture

4. N.C.T.E. Definition of what it
means to be “literate”
• ... as society and technology change, so does literacy.
Because technology has increased the intensity and
complexity of literate environments, the twenty-first
century demands that a literate person possess a
wide range of abilities and competencies, many
literacies. These literacies—from reading online
newspapers to participating in virtual classrooms—
are multiple, dynamic, and malleable. Twenty-first
century readers and writers need to...

5. N.C.T.E. Definition of what it
means to be “literate”
Develop proficiency with the tools of technology
•Build relationships with others to pose and solve
problems collaboratively and cross-culturally
•Design and share information for global communities
to meet a variety of purposes
•Manage, analyze and synthesize multiple streams of
simultaneous information
•Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multi-media
texts

6. Who is the 21st Century
Reader?

7. The 21st Century Reader
• grew up using technology as a primary
learning tool
• is capable of navigating and interpreting
digital formats and media messages
• possesses literacy skills which include
technological abilities such as keyboarding,
internet navigation, interpretation of
technological speak, ability to communicate
and interpret coded language and decipher
graphics

8. What is 21st Century
Literature?

9. 21st Century Literature
• New literary work created within the
last decade
• Written by contemporary authors
• Deals with current themes/issues and
reflects a technological culture
• Often breaks traditional writing rules
• Emerging genres like IM and blog
format books, digi-fiction, doodle

10. Illustrated Novels
Story through text and illustrated images

11. Illustrated Novel
• Generally, 50% of the narrative is
presented without words. The reader
must interpret the images in order to
comprehend the complete story.
• Textual portions are presented in
traditional form.
• Some illustrated novels may contain
no text at all.
• llustrated novels span all genres

12. Illustrated novels

13. Digi- Fiction
Triple Media Literature

14. Digi-Fiction
• Digi- Fiction is a literary experience that
combines three media: book, movie/video,
and Internet website
• In order to get the full story, students must
engage in navigation, reading, viewing, in
all three formats.
• Popular series include:
• 39 Clues: Grades 3-8
• Skeleton Creek: Grades 5-12
• Level 26: Grades 8-12

15. Upper
Elementary &
Middle School
Digi-Fiction
Read the book
Each book comes with 6 clues
Visit the website
Create an account
Play a game
Unlock a clue
Read more, try to solve the
• 39 Clues Website
mystery along with the
characters.
Win Prizes!!!

16. Middle & high School
Digi-Fiction
• http://
www.sarahfincher.
com/ featuring
video messages
from Sarah Fincher
to Ryan.
• Series Webpage see
teaser trailers, extra
footage, hidden clues,
character extras and
more

17. Middle School &
High School Digi-Fiction
• Interview with author
Patrick Carmon
• Click here to learn
about the series
creator and why he
believes Digi-Fiction is
a worthy genre for 21st
Century Readers

18. HIgh School
Post secondary
• Level 26 Digi-Novel
Trailer
• Warning: film segments in
this series contain
suggested rather than
actual violence and
frightening content. Not
intended for young
audiences. Film footage
elements while not
subject to rating, are
comparable to PG-13

19. Graphic Novels
Narratives in Comic Book Formats

20. Graphic Novels
• A graphic novel is a narrative work in
which the story is conveyed to the
reader using comic form.
• The term is employed in a broad
manner, encompassing non-fiction
works and thematically linked short
stories as well as fictional stories
across a number of genres.

21. Graphic Novels:
ElemenTary

22. Graphic Novels: Middle School

23. Graphic Genres
• Philosophy

24. Classic Graphics

25. Classic Graphics

26. American Lit Graphics

27. Non-Fiction Graphics

28. Non-fiction grapics

29. Non-fiction Graphics

30. Non-fiction graphics

31. Manga
• Manga is the Japanese word for comics.
• It is used in the English-speaking world as a
generic term for all comic books and graphic
novels originally published in Japan.
• Manga is considered an artistic and
storytelling style
• The term "Ameri-Manga" is sometimes used
to refer to comics created by American
artists in a manga style.

32. Manga Tips
• Classroom teachers should be aware of
different kinds of Manga identified by the
intended reader:
• Shônen – Boy’s Manga (Pronounced Show-Nen)
• Shôjo – Girl’s Manga (Pronounced Show-Joe)
• Seinen – Men’s Manga (Pronounced Say-Nen)
• Josei – Women’s Manga (Pronounced Joe-Say)
• Kodomo – Children’s Manga (Kow-Dow-Mow)

33. Reading Manga
• Manga usually follows the traditional style as
found in Japan. Japanese Manga is to be read from
the right side to the left, opposite of traditional
American books.
• Not only do you read the pages from right to left,
but you also read the panels and text from right to
left.
• In America, this traditional Japanese style
distinguishes Magna from other Graphic and
illustrated texts.

34. Manga Panels

35. Manga
•

36. Shakespeare Manga

37. Shakespeare Manga

38. American Lit. Manga

39. Doodle Fiction
Hand scribed font and images

40. Doodle-Fiction
A literary presentation where the author incorporates
doodle drawings and hand written graphics in place of
traditional font.
Drawings enhance the story, often adding humorous
elements that would be missing if the illustrations
were omitted

41. Doodle-Fiction

42. Text-Talk Novels
Blog, e-mail, & IM format narratives
Stories told almost completely in dialogue
simulating social network exchanges

43. Blogs, Letters, & E-mails Letters & Text Messages

44. Emails and Instant Messages Blogging

45. Instant Messages (Spiritual) Chat

46. Email, blogs, and Tweets Instant Messaging

47. 21st Century Texts in
Your Classroom
• Build a 21st Century classroom library
• Consider struggling readers
• Enhance classic collections
• Utilize district media tools
• Think out of the box

48. Student Feedback
Digi-Fiction is like book TV. Its got a reason to keep
you going. You read, then the videos are like
commercial breaks to get you interested again to go
back to reading. I think these are the best kind of
books. If we had these back when I was a kid I’d
probably like reading more than I do. (Devon)
I read a portrait of Dorian Gray in 10th grade, and I
didn’t get it. Then when I read the graphic novel it was
like freaky. That is one wacked out story. I only meant
to read that one story, but then I read Frankenstein
too. (Mary Kate)

49. Student Feedback
This class changed me… I started to read books
without being told. That never happened before. All
through middle school I wanted to know when it
would finally click in for me, but it never did. This
year I read because the stories meant something to
me. (Jessica)
The best book was about this chick who gets
knocked up by a priest. But, she won’t tell nobody
who the baby-daddy is. Its all about how you are free
or in your own prison cuz of your own guilt. The
graphic novels helped me understand American Lit
books. (Nyamuo)

50. Questions? Please Contact:
Calle Friesen
• Reading/Literacy Specialist
Buena Vista University, Storm Lake
friesen@bvu.edu
• Co-ordinator Masters in Reading Program
Drake University, Des Moines
calle.friesen@drake.edu
• (712) 299-5862

51. 21st Century
Literature
for
21st Century Readers
Presented by Calle Friesen
Buena Vista University
ICTE 2011