"Children's Digital Literature and Culture"
Children's Literature Association Sponsored Session
2006 MLA Convention
Philadelphia, December 27-30, 2006
USA

This panel will explore intersections of children's literature and 
culture in digital media, including video games, websites, online 
diaries and blogs, software (like learning games, Flash games, Living 
Books), online libraries, and similar digital texts. In doing so, the 
panel will investigate how these media impact children's literature and 
culture, including digital media that complements traditional children's 
literature such as websites by authors and video game tie-ins. Examples include 
Jane Yolen's single author blog and Neil Gaiman's blog which he updates 
daily and where readers of all ages can post comments, as well as 
same-story versions of children's texts that are adapted for multiple 
media such as The Polar Express and Lemony Snicket, which have texts, 
movies, websites, and video games.

The panel will also examine how different media (blogs, webpages, video 
games, digital libraries, iPods, GPS, etc) impact and alter children’s 
literature and culture. By investigating these media we will see how 
children's culture has become a multi-media and multi-disciplinary field 
of inquiry into childhood and literature.

Possible media topics could include:
1. Video games for children
2. Digital libraries
3. Blogs
4. Plug N Play gaming systems
5. ESRP Game Rating System
6. Educational gaming systems (Leapfrog)
7. Misc digital media (iPod, GPS)

Or, submissions can focus on a particular aspect within a specific media 
that relates to children or youth. These could include:
1. digital media and gender
2. digital media and race
3. digital media and children as consumers
4. digital media and the environment
5. digital media and policy/politics
6. digital media and history

DEADLINE: By March 1, 2006, submit 1-2 page abstracts or 8-page papers 
via email to [log in to unmask]

Or through mail:
Cathlena Martin
University of Florida
Department of English
4008 Turlington Hall
PO Box 117310
Gainesville, FL 32611
USA
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>