Genres and literature
When you speak about genre and
literature, genre means a category, or
kind of story.
All categories of books or stories can be
called either fiction or non-fiction.
Fiction
Non-Fiction
• a made up story
• can tell about things
that could happen
• is read for fun
• characters may be like
real people or
imaginary
• has facts that can be
checked and proven
• the author is an expert
on this information
• it IS TRUE!
Realistic Fiction
Realistic fiction is made up of stories that
could really happen. Contemporary
realistic fiction is realistic fiction that is
set in modern times.
Examples of Realistic
Fiction
Because of Winn Dixie
Crash
Owl Moon
Shiloh
Summer of the Swans
Babysitter Club series
Historical Fiction
Historical fiction is made up of stories that take place
in a certain time and place in the past. Real historical
figures and settings may be included in a fiction story.
Examples of Historical Fiction
A Boy at War
Across Five Aprils
Ben and Me
The Butterfly
Charlie Skedaddle
Sign of the Beaver
Titanic Crossing
Dear America Series
Folklore
Folklore includes stories,
myths, and fables that people
told one another over the
years. Later the stories were
written down.
Examples of Folklore
Aesop’s Fables
Beauty and the Beast
The Bunyans
Cinderella
John Henry
The Talking Eggs
The Tortoise and the Hare
Fantasy
Fantasy is fiction that has elements that are
not real. Sometimes this includes talking
animals or characters with magical powers.
There’s usually a conflict between good and
evil.
Examples of Fantasy
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Charlotte’s Web
The Wreck of the Zephyr
Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe
Lord of the Rings
Harry Potter Series
Fairy Tale
• Special beginning and/or ending words - Once
upon a time...and they lived happily ever after.
• Good character
• Evil character
• Royalty and/or a castle usually present
• Magic happens
• Problem and a Solution
• Things often happen in "threes" or "sevens"
Examples of Fairy Tale
The Dog and Her Little Glass
Slipper
Cinderella
The Stinky Cheese Man and
Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Mystery
Mysteries are stories that have a
real setting and a problem to be
solved that includes clues,
distractions, and an answer to the
problem.
Examples of Mystery
The House of Dies Drear
Never Say Die
The Treehouse Mystery
Mystery of the Midnight Message
Encyclopedia Brown Series
Boxcar Children Mysteries
Science Fiction
Science Fiction is made up of stories that blend fact
and fiction with futuristic technology.
Examples of Science Fiction
Aliens for Breakfast
A Wrinkle in Time
My Best Friend is Invisible
Star Wars
The Time Machine
Adventure
The characters (and the reader) can always expect
the worst - the main characters can, and usually do,
have everything thrown at them. Action, action and
more action are hallmarks of a good
adventure/suspense book. The entire read is a roller
coaster ride of chills and excitement with the last
stop (and page) not always ending in happiness. And
finally, there must be a villain, for without a
foe…without an adversary, there can be no
adventure…no
suspense.
Examples of Adventure
The Whipping Boy
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Abel’s Island
The Cay
Poetry
Poetry is verse written to inspire thoughts and
feelings in the reader. It often uses rhyme and
rhythm, or it can be written in free verse.
Examples of Poetry
Where the Sidewalk Ends
New Kid on the Block
Chocolate Dreams: Poems
Mammalabilia
A Pizza the Size of the Sun
Love That Dog
Informational
Informational books are nonfiction books that give
true facts on a variety of subjects.
Examples of
Informational Writing
Dirt Bikes
Flying Animals
Danger! Earthquakes
Newspapers
Encyclopedias
Biography
A biography is the true story of a
real person’s life from the past or
present.
Examples of Biography
Tiger Woods: An American Master
The HomerunKings: BabeRuth and
Henry Aaron
Clara Barton, a Red Cross Pioneer
Sacagawea