LIS 401: Survey of Children’s Literature
Modern Fantasy
Definition: Modern fantasy is “a fiction story with highly fanciful or supernatural
elements that would be impossible in real life”
Types of Fantasy:
1. Animal fantasy: main (and often all) characters are anthropomorphic
animals; they speak, think, and express emotions like humans; they might
live and dress like humans (e.g. Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold
Lobel)
2. Literary fairy tale: follows the patterns set by the oral tradition of folklore
but is written by an identifiable author (e.g. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson
Levine or The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch)
3. Animated object fantasy: inanimate objects are brought to life (e.g. The
Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams or Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne)
4. Human with fantasy character: an ordinary human and a fantasy
creature are main characters (e.g. The Teacher from the Black Lagoon by
Thaler)
5. Extraordinary person: the human main character possesses
extraordinary characteristics like strange powers or unusual size (e.g. The
Music of the Dolphins by Karen Hesse or Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory by Roald Dahl)
6. Enchanted journey: story begins in the real world but the character soon
is transported into another world, often an enchanted realm; usually
involves magic (e.g. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll or
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg)
7. High fantasy: protagonist usually engages in a monumental struggle
against a powerful evil force in the ageless struggle of good and evil (e.g.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis or The Lord of the Rings by J. R.
R. Tolkien or Harry Potte series by J. K. Rowling)
8. Supernatural fantasy: explores the possibilities offered by the
supernatural, including ghosts or telepathy (e.g. Wait Till Helen Comes: A
Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn)
9. Science fiction: magic is replaced by advanced technological wonders;
incredible and inconceivable characters and events are given rational
scientific-sounding explanations, which a good science fiction writer
makes quite plausible (e.g. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle or
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld)
10. Unlikely situation: characters engage in some totally unrealistic situation
that makes the book fantasy rather than realistic fiction, even without
magic or an other-worldly setting (e.g. The Mysterious Benedict Society by
Trenton Lee Stewart)
Evaluating Modern Fantasy:
The following questions can help you evaluate:
Modern fantasy
 Is the theme worthwhile for children
 Is the plot original
 Are the fantasy elements of the story well developed
 Is the setting authentic and integral to the story?
 Does the author’s characterization allow readers to suspend disbelief?
 Is the story logical and consistent within its chosen format?
 Is the point of view consistent?
 Does the author use appropriate language that is believable and
consistent with the story
High fantasy
 Is the main character truly heroic?
 Are all the characters plausible in their own settings?
 Is the secondary world believable?
 Is the quest purposeful?
Science fiction
 Is the technology convincing?
 Are purposeful questions about the future raised?
Six Motifs of Fantasy:
 Magic
 Other worlds (secondary worlds)
 Good versus evil
 Heroism
 Special character types
 Fantastic objects
*if a story contains all six motifs, then it is either a classic fairy tale or an example
of modern high fantasy; if a story contains only the motif of magic (which is a
necessary ingredient of fantasy), it can still be classified as fantasy literature
Notes from:
Jacobs & Tunnel’s Children’s Literature, Briefly 3rd edition.
Anderson’s Elementary Children’s Literature 3rd edition.