What are some of its Key Features?
Elements that violate the natural physical laws of our world- events akin to magicWith known authors
Credibility is key
Issues the examine the human condition and universal truths
Definition of Modern Fantasy
Fantasy is imaginative narrative that
explores alternative realities
Fantasy
•suspends disbelief
•suspends scientific explanations and
natural laws
•is unaccountable to the known world
source: Cullinan &
Galda, 1994, p. 199
What about modern fantasy?
Credibility is key
•Is every action consistent with the framework developed by the
author?
•Can the reader suspend disbelief about the characters?
•How does the author’s characterization allow the reader to
suspend disbelief
Do characters begin in the real world?
Does the author use appropriate and believable
language consistent with the story?
•Is the setting consistent allowing the reader to understand the
world that is created.
•If the author creates several time periods are the settings
authentic and integral to the story?
•Does the author pay careful attention to details in the
story?
•Are the characters actions consistent with the setting?
•Is the theme of value and important for children?
1. Does the story act as a metaphor for life?
Does the story:
tell the truth about life
clarify the human condition
capture our deepest emotions,
dreams, hopes, and fears
2. Is the story rooted in reality?
Is it believable?
Is the fantasy world believable within
the context of the story?
Can you visualize the setting?
Can the reader feel, see and hear the
setting?
Are new worlds convincing?
Are lots of details used?
3. Internal Consistency
Are the settings and events consistent
throughout the story?
Are the fantasy elements logically
integrated?
Is there an original and imaginative
concept?
Is the action believable, consistent, and
natural in the story?
Does it allow the reader to suspend
disbelief?
Is there a smooth transition between the
real and unreal world?
4. Characterization
Are the characters well developed and
believable?
Are characters true to themselves?
Does the character’s motivation make
sense in the context of the story?
Can the reader identify with the
protagonist?
5. Universal Truth
Is there a universal truth underlying the
metaphor of the fantasy?
Is there a worthwhile theme?
Do the characters represent a universal
value?
Figure 2: Traditional Fantasy vs.
Modern Fantasy
BOTH genres are fantasies
TRADITIONAL
FANTASY
They from the
oral tradition
of collected
stories.
The setting is
often vague
and magical.
Characters are
symbolic and
do not grow
and change.
and portray other worlds,
with elements of magic,
talking animals, strange
characters, and objects,
can include s/heroe's
journey, supernatural,
universal themes of good
versus evil, right versus
wrong etc.
Both can be allegorical,
spiritual, satirical, and
political.
MODERN
FANTASY
Stories are
associated
with an author.
Setting is
detailed and
key and
should be
credible.
Characters
grow and
change.
TYPES OF MODERN FANTASY
Modern Folktales or Literary Folktales: very little character description/strong conflict/fastmoving plot/sudden resolution/vague setting -- known author. The Ugly Duckling, Peter Rabbit
Animal Fantasy: animals behave as human beings/personified yet retaining many of their
animal characteristics. Catwings Charlotte’s Web, Poppy books (Avi)
Personified Characters and Objects: toys brought to life and believed in/often responsibility
of parenthood assumed by the child protagonist Winnie the Pooh, Pinocchio
Unusual Characters and Strange Situations: strange or ridiculous Alice’s Adventures in
Wonderland, Pipi Longstocking
Worlds of Little People: miniature people with a culture or world of their own. Children
identify with indignities foisted upon little & powerless people/big people usually outdone by
clever little people. Gulliver in Lilliput, The Borrowers
Supernatural Events and Mystery Fantasy: ghost stories. Ghosts can be fearful threats or
helpful protectors. The Boggart
Historical Fantasy: timewarp fantasy. Time period must be fully & accurately developed.
Stone Words, The Root Cellar, The Devil’s Arithmetic
Quest Stories: adventure stories with a search motif. High fantasy/often set in medieval
times/imaginary worlds/conflict between good and evil/characters drawn from myth and legend.
Quest usually represents a journey of self-discovery and personal growth for protagonist.
The Hobbit (Tolkien) The Wizard of Oz
Science Fiction (imaginative lit about something that could happen based on real scientific
facts and principles/ Must have appearance of scientific or technical plausibility About future
worlds. Called futuristic fiction) (a scientific explanation/not necessarily plausible/offered for
imaginative leaps into the unknown. Presents a world that is a mix of mythology and traditional
fantasy with scientific or technological concepts. A Wrinkle in Time, The Giver, Feed
4. Heroism and the Hero’s Quest
Hero follows pattern of:
•called to adventure by some sort of
herald
•crosses threshold into unsafe and
insecure place
•survives
•assisted by protective figure
•matures
•returns home
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum)
Fantastic worlds
Oz
Time shifts
Fantastic Characters
Good Witch of the North;
Wicked Witches of East and West
Tin Woodman
Cowardly Lion
Scarecrow
Flying Monkeys
Munchkin people
Fantastic Objects
Magic silver shoes
Magic golden cap
Talking Animals
Talking stork
Flying monkeys
Magic
Magic of characters, objects and Fantastic world
Multiple Interpretations
Entertainment,
Political Manifesto
Spiritual Journey
Call to the Quest
The Cyclone
Guides and Helpers
Scarecrow
Tin Woodman,
Cowardly lion
Flying monkeys
Glinda
Quest Challenges
Get to the City of Emeralds,
Meet the wizard,
Search for the wicked witch
Kill the witch
Return to Oz
The Goal of the Quest
To return home, To learn, become courageous, and grow
in heart , to discover one’s own inner power
The Journey Home
Finding Glinda
Returns to Kansas with loved ones
James and the Giant
Peach (R.Dahl)
Harry Potter and the
Half-Blood Prince
(J.K. Rowling)
What is your book's Fantasy
Quotient?
Name of Book
Magic
Other worlds
Good versus evil
Hero’s
Round/Quest
Fantastic
character types
Fantastic objects
Debates
Drama: Plot Extension
Select a scene and pretend it continues. What would characters say to each other?
Have students create a Readers Theatre from a scene and perform it.
Art:
Draw characters as you see them.
Create a mural of the strange world created in the story
Storytelling
Fractured Fairy Tales Project
This site is devoted to many different primary and intermediate classes around
the United States and Canada that have written fractured fairy tales. It has a
section that links out to other sites.
http://www.desertskyone.com/FT/#top
Children’s Books
Hans Christian Anderson
http://childrensbooks.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=childr
ensbooks&cdn=p