fiction genres

Fiction Genres

What kind of story are you reading?

What is a genre?

• A genre is a kind of literature.• Genre is a French word meaning

kind, as in what kind of story.

Fiction Genres

• Historical fiction• Realistic fiction• Fantasy• Science fiction• Mystery

Historical Fiction

Historical fiction stories take place in the past

They might include real people, events, and places, but also include parts that are made up by the author

Historical Fiction

Which one is the beginning of a historical fiction story about school?

A. Marcy rode the school bus to school. She was excited about her day. Today there would be an assembly about reptiles! She couldn’t wait to see some real, live snakes.

B. John walked to school. He needed to arrive early so that he could start the fire in the stove. Without the stove, the schoolroom would be very cold!

Historical Fiction

Which one is the beginning of a historical fiction story about school?

John walked to school. He needed to arrive early so that he could start the fire in the stove. Without the stove, the schoolroom would be very cold!

Historical Fiction

What details show that this is historical fiction?

John walked to school. He needed to arrive early so that he could start the fire in the stove. Without the stove, the schoolroom would be very cold!

Historical Fiction

Which should you think about and notice as you read historical fiction?

A.How people created things in the past and compare that to what we use now.

B.How children everywhere are all the same

C.How the conflict often comes from historical events or settings

Why should I care?

• Readers can often learn a great deal about history from reading historical fiction

• As you read, notice the names of the important people, places, and events

Learning from historical fiction

Think about a historical fiction book that you have read. What was it about? What did you learn?

Fiction Genres


Realistic Fiction

• Realistic fiction stories take place in the PRESENT

• They include characters and situations that could really happen

• But realistic fiction stories are still made up by the author

Realistic Fiction

• Realistic fiction stories usually look at topics like friendship, growing up, and being in a family.

Realistic Fiction

Can you find the example of realistic fiction?

A. Cousins can be so annoying! Robert stood outside on the kitchen porch. His cousin had tramped into his bedroom and stolen his new video game console. What a pain!

B. Hmm..this gadget had real possibilities. As I looked at the Time Travel 2000 Zapper, I imagined all of the great places I could visit. I couldn’t wait!

Realistic Fiction


Cousins can be so annoying! Robert stood outside on the kitchen porch. His cousin had tramped into his bedroom and stolen his new video game console. What a pain!

Realistic Fiction


Cousins can be so annoying! Robert stood outside on the kitchen porch. His cousin had tramped into his bedroom and stolen his new video game console. What a pain!

This takes place in the present. It includes events that could happen in real life, so it is realistic fiction.

Why should I care?

• Realistic fiction stories often involve characters like you

• Reading about how other kids solve their problems can help you to think about your own life and how you can solve problems

Comparing genres

• How are historical fiction and realistic fiction different from one another?

• Which one do you prefer? Why?

Fiction Genres


Fantasy

Fantasy stories include magic, mythical creatures, and things that just can’t happen in everyday life

Fantasy

Fantasy stories can happen in the real world, but are usually set in imaginary, fantasy worlds.

Which story is the fantasy?

A. The castle rose above the hill. James trudged up the road, eager to find out what lay ahead. Soon, soon he would learn all that there was to being a knight. He would start as a page, and then become a squire, and then he would become a knight. But all of that was years in the future. First, he had to make it up that hill!

B. “Where is my apprentice?” roared the wizard. A slim, small boy appeared at the door. “Yes, Master List?” he asked. “I need your help!” exclaimed the wizard. “The kingdom is being threatened by a dragon. I can stop it, but I need to finish this potion.” The boy sighed. It would be a long, long day.

Fantasy

“Where is my apprentice?” roared the wizard. A slim, small boy appeared at the door. “Yes, Master List?” he asked. “I need your help!” exclaimed the wizard. “The kingdom is being threatened by a dragon. I can stop it, but I need to finish this potion.” The boy sighed. It would be a long, long day.

What details make this a fantasy?

Fantasy

Be careful! Fantasy stories can sometimes start out sounding like realistic fiction. Look for the little details that point to fantasy.

Reading for Fantasy Details

Can you find the details that point to a fantasy?

Rachel walked up to her school. She had her homework and her lunch. She was ready for the day.

But then she stared at the entrance to the school. Overnight, the regular metal doors had transformed into a huge drawbridge. A scaly green dragon coiled around the swing set.

Animal Fantasy

Stories which include talking animals are a kind of fantasy called animal fantasy

Why should I care?• Fantasy stories often show how even

magic can’t solve every problem• Reading fantasy stories expands your

imagination and helps you to imagine other worlds and other possibilities

What have you learned?

• How is fantasy different from realistic fiction?

• What fantasy stories have you read?

Fiction Genres


Science Fiction

• Like fantasy, science fiction includes details and events that can’t happen in the real world

• Instead of magic, though, science fiction focuses more on special technology

Science Fiction

In science fiction, look for: Time travel

Unbelievable gadgets

Aliens

Space travel that doesn’t yet exist

Science Fiction

• Science fiction stories often explore how technology affects people and changes our lives

• Some stories show that amazing technology still doesn’t make people happy

• Others show that some kinds of technology can cause problems in the world

What details show that this is science fiction?

Topher pressed the button. Zoom! Zip! Suddenly he was traveling up, up toward the sky. Wow! This was not boring. Topher looked down toward his backyard. It was getting smaller and smaller and smaller. He looked up at the sky. The clouds were getting closer and closer. Whoosh! He flew through a cloud. It felt wet and slimy. But then things started getting darker. He was leaving Earth’s atmosphere. Now he was in space! Topher saw a gray green spaceship ahead. A black door opened and he drifted through. Wow! This was much, much better than playing with a flat soccer ball.

Why should I care?

• Many people think that new technology is always good—the newer and faster the better!

• Science fiction helps us to think about some of the effects of new technology that may not be as great for ourselves and our world

Fiction Genres


Mystery

• In a mystery, the main character is trying to solve a mystery

• The main character finds clues and follows leads

Mystery

• Whether or not a story is a mystery is not determined by the setting

• A mystery can happen in the past, present, or future

Which story is the mystery?

A. Jake peeked out from behind the porch. For the past three days, something had stolen the pies his grandmother put out on the porch to cool. Today, he’d find out who the culprit was.

B. Melissa stood on her grandmother’s porch. No other kids lived around here for miles. She was stuck here for three whole months. Whatever would she do? How could she spend her time, with no one to play with?

Which story is the mystery?

Jake peeked out from behind the porch. For the past three days, something had stolen the pies his grandmother put out on the porch to cool. Today, he’d find out who the culprit was.

This is the mystery. Notice that there is a problem that the main character is trying to solve.

Why should I care?

• Mystery stories are a great way to develop careful reading skills

• Often, important clues are buried in dialogue or long paragraphs

• By reading mysteries, you’ll learn how to notice these clues and figure out the solution!

Reading mysteries

• Have you ever read a mystery story or series?

• What was the mystery? How did the main character try to solve it?

Fiction Genres

• Historical fiction• Realistic fiction• Fantasy• Science fiction• Mystery• Folktales• Genre hybrids

Genre Hybrids

• A genre hybrid (or cross-genre) is a text that includes elements of different genres

• Just like a hybrid car uses both gasoline and electricity, hybrid genres can have characteristics of two or more genres

Genre Hybrids

For example, a story that combines science fiction elements with magic could be called “science fantasy”

Have you ever read any hybrid books? What genres did they combine?

Quiz yourself!

Which genre includes real events that happened in the past, along with details made up by the author?

A.Realistic fictionB.Historical fictionC.Science fictionD.Fantasy

Answer!

Which genre includes real events that happened in the past, along with details made up by the author?


Quiz yourself!

You are reading a story about fifth graders who create a school newspaper. You are probably reading…


Answer!

You are reading a story about fifth graders who create a school newspaper. You are probably reading…


Quiz yourself!

You pick up a book from the library. It has a castle and a unicorn on the cover. This book is probably…


Answer!

You pick up a book from the library. It has a castle and a unicorn on the cover. This book is probably…


Fiction Genres

• Historical fiction• Realistic fiction• Fantasy• Science fiction• Mystery• Genre hybrids

What have you learned about fiction genres?

fiction genres

Documents

historical fiction story

historical fiction book

authorhistorical fiction

example of realistic

historical events

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realistic fictioncan

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