UW–Madison’s Shawn Anthony Robinson along with his collaborators are the recipients of a 2024 Communicator Award for Innovation and Strategic Achievement-Social Impact from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. Robinson and his team received the award for their “Dr. Dyslexia Dude” series of graphic novels.
Robinson, a research affiliate with Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (Wei LAB) housed in the School of Education’s Wisconsin Center for Education Research, is a co-author of the series, with Inshirah Robinson and illustrator Brandon Hadnot. The graphic novels share a compelling story about an African-American boy who is a colorful superhero with dyslexia. The capped character is autobiographically based on Shawn Robinson’s early life experiences.
“Our innovation with the graphic novels provides a solution for not just students with dyslexia but also students who look like me,” says Robinson, who is Black, in a 2022 video about the “Dr. Dyslexia Dude” project. “We want to make sure that children’s literature represents a positive image that allows students to see themselves as superheroes.”
Learn more about the “Dr. Dyslexia Dude” graphic novels.