Two Major Genres of Literature

Fiction• Fiction is literature that is

made up, or created from the author’s imagination.

• Examples of fiction include:– Short stories– Fantasy– Mysteries– Realistic Fiction– Historical Fiction– Science Fiction

Nonfiction• Nonfiction is true, or based

in facts. • Examples of nonfiction

include:– Newspaper articles– Essays– Documentary films– Editorials– Biographies and

autobiographies

Realistic FictionRealistic 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 DixieCrashHolesMonsterDrama HighRole Of Thunder…

Historical FictionHistorical 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 FictionA Boy at WarAcross Five AprilsBen and MeThe ButterflyCharlie SkedaddleSign of the BeaverTitanic CrossingDear America Series

FolkloreFolklore includes stories, myths, and fables that people told one another over the years. Later the stories were written down.

Examples of FolkloreAesop’s FablesBeauty and the BeastThe BunyansCinderellaJohn HenryNarcissusThe Tortoise and the Hare

Myth

• A myth is a traditional story, especially one that involves deities and explains how the world works, natural phenomena, and how people should behave. Myths reveal a culture’s ideals and are more revered than folk stories or fables.

Examples of Myths

• Narcissus• Daedalus and Icarus• The Labors of Hercules• Crow Brings Daylight• Pandora’s Box

Fable

• A short, traditional story in which the characters are usually animals. Fables convey a lesson or moral.

Examples of Fables

• The Tortoise and the Hare• The Fox and the Grapes• The Lion and the Mouse

FantasyFantasy 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 FantasyAlice’s Adventures in WonderlandCharlotte’s WebThe Wreck of the ZephyrLion, Witch, and the WardrobeLord of the RingsHarry Potter Series

MysteryMysteries 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 DrearNever Say DieThe Treehouse MysteryMystery of the Midnight MessageEncyclopedia Brown SeriesBoxcar Children Mysteries

Science FictionScience Fiction is made up of stories that blend fact and fiction with futuristic technology.

Examples of Science Fiction

A Wrinkle in TimeMy Best Friend is InvisibleContactThe Time MachineTerminatorThe Matrix

PoetryPoetry 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 PoetryWhere the Sidewalk EndsHow Do I Love TheeChocolate Dreams: PoemsA Dream DeferredWe Real CoolOur Grandmothers

InformationalInformational books are nonfiction books that give true facts on a variety of subjects.

Examples of Informational Writing

Dirt BikesFlying AnimalsDanger! EarthquakesNewspapersEncyclopedias

BiographyA biography is the true story of a real person’s life from the past or present.

Examples of Biography

Tiger Woods: An American MasterThe HomerunKings: BabeRuth and

Henry AaronClara Barton, a Red Cross PioneerSacagawea