Dawn of the Unread wins Guardian education award

Nottingham Trent University’s Dawn of the Unread beat off competition from the University of Sheffield to win a coveted prize at the Guardian University Awards.

Dawn of the Unread, a graphic novel exploring Nottingham’s literary history, won the teaching excellence award as it allows children to download comics on iPhone, Android and iPad.

It was designed to appeal to the Youtube generation and celebrates the great figures and intellectuals from Nottingham who are in danger of being forgotten.

Editor James Walker is delighted that the student based project has won the award and says it shows that the work of former writers is not dead.

“It is a fantastic feeling to win the award and it is validation on a national level that what we are doing is worthwhile and shows if you trust students they get can do great things,” he said.

“Unfortunately, even following the award, it hasn’t got the boost in recognition I have wished for even though it is a unique concept.”

It is a fantastic feeling to win the award and it is validation on a national level that what we are doing is worthwhile

Project editor James Walker

And James hopes that after reading the digital versions of the famous pieces the children could go on to buy the hard copy of the actual author’s work.

“There were numerous reasons to start a project like this including the proposed cuts to libraries and the fact that many stop reading after the age of 16,” he said.

“Independent book shops are also on the fall with the number dropping below 1000 last year and a survey from the Literacy Agency showing our country is 22nd out of 24 in literacy levels.”

James-with-award

Image: James Walker with the Guardian University Award for teaching excellence

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