LITERARY GENRES

Definition: categories used to group different types of literary works.

Our Genre ListWe will be learning about several different types of literary genres. It is important to remember that this list does not include all types of genres found in literary works.

NON-FICTION

This can also be called “informational” material. These types of books provide information that is factual. Nothing is make-believe in these types of materials.

REALITY IS BROKEN BY JANE MCGONIGAL

TELL THEM WE REMEMBER: THE STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST BY SUSAN BACHRACH

Biographies: A true account of a person's life written, composed, or produced by another.

Autobiographies: The biography of a person written by that person.

AN ORDINARY MAN BY PAUL RUSESABAGINA

NON-FICTION RECOMMENDATIONS●Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

BIOGRAPHY RECOMMENDATIONS

The Diary of Anne Frank and Night, by Elie Weisel

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FICTIONHistorical Fiction: • Real events and places in

history with a fictional (not real) main character.

• The main character may interact with real people though.

THE BOOK THIEF BY MARKUS ZUSAK

A LONG WALK TO WATER BY LINDA SUE PARK

THE HELP BY KATHRYN STOCKETT

AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS

Realistic Fiction: Stories about situations that are real and could happen to us. Some topics could be family issues, friend relationships, or cultural differences.

HOLES BY LOUIS SACHAR

THE PERKS OF BEING A

WALLFLOWER BY

STEVEN CHBOSKY

WONDER BY R.J. PALACIO

Science Fiction:• Considered “modern

fantasy”• Explores scientific fact and

current scientific trends.• Focus on exploring the

unknown

ENDER’S GAME

UNWIND BY NEAL SHUSTERMAN

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH BY CARRIE RYAN

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer

●Mystery:●A crime has usually been committed●Main character is trying to figure out “whodunit”●Suspense and intrigue

NANCY DREW BY CAROLYN KEENE

The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon

THE WESTING GAME BY ELLEN RASKIN

THE UNDERTAKER’S GONE BANANAS BY PAUL ZINDEL

FANTASY• Magical world where

anything is possible.• Fables• Fairy tales• Talking animals• Gods/goddesses

HARRY POTTER

THE PRINCESS BRIDE

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA

ELLA ENCHANTED BY GAIL CARSON LEVINE

Fables and Myths: ●Fables: These stories usually have a moral that is being taught. It often uses animals that speak and act like humans. ●Myths: a story or group of stories that form part of the traditional knowledge of a society. Myths often use imaginative plots and characters to explain how the world began and why nature and people behave the way they do.

THE LIGHTNING THIEF

CLASSICS

These books actually fall into many genres. Their commonality is that they have all stood the test of time. People like them then, they like them now.

PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING BY JANE AUSTEN, BUT,

ESPECIALLY…

THE HOBBIT BY J.R.R. TOLKIEN

ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS BY SCOTT O’DELL

Graphic Novels

A novel in comic-strip format.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Bone by Jeff Smith

PLAYAnything by Shakespeare

BUT ALSO….

BIBLIOGRAPHYChildren’s Literature Genres, http://www.alpine.k12.ut.us/depts/media/elemlessons_rev/m4-collections/lesson2cl_genre.htmlGenre Study: A Collaborative Approach, http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=270Dictionary.com, http://www.dictionary.comWordsmyth, http://www.wordsmyth.com