Genre: a distinctive category of literary composition

Genre is a category, group or kind based on distinctive style, form and content. One is just right for YOU!

Genres We Will Study This Year

Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Drama Media Literacy

Fiction vs. Nonfiction

Fiction

a made up story, unreal, not true, not factual

can tell about things that could happen

is read for fun characters may be like

real people or imaginary

Nonfiction

has facts that can be checked and proven

the author is an expert on this information

real, factual, deals with actual people, places, and events

it IS TRUE!

Subgenres of Fiction

Realistic Fiction Historical Fiction Science Fiction Fantasy High Fantasy Mystery

Folktales Fables Legends Myths Classics

Realistic Fiction

Form of fiction (not true) Accurately reflects life as it could be lived today Everything in the story could happen to real people

living in our natural physical world The characters have normal human characteristics Story may be set in real places, but the story is NOT

based on history

Examples of Realistic Fiction

•Because of Winn Dixie•Crash•Owl Moon•Shiloh•Summer of the Swans•Babysitter Club series

Historical Fiction

Form of fiction (not true) Based on historical events Authentic settings Characters portrayed in realistic manner Some characters may be actual people from

history, but the story is fictional Artistic mix of fiction and historical fact

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

Science Fiction

Form of fiction (not true) Contains some sort of scientific element, such as

– Outer space– Medicine– Technology

Within the realm of possibility Characters have some believable traits/qualities

Examples of Science Fiction

•Aliens for Breakfast•A Wrinkle in Time•My Best Friend is Invisible•Star Wars•The Time Machine

Fantasy

Form of fiction (not true) Contains one or more of the following:

– supernatural occurrences– characters with magical powers– things with magical powers– animals with human characteristics– real people in fantastic places– fantastic creatures or characters in real situations

Examples of Fantasy

•Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland•Charlotte’s Web•The Wreck of the Zephyr

High Fantasy

Form of fiction (not real) Good vs. evil (supernatural/evil forces) Story written in a series of books/ volumes Coming- of- age themes Include fantastical elements, such as:

– Elves and dwarves– Magic– Wizards– Invented languages– quests

Examples of High Fantasy

Lord of the Rings Harry Potter Series

Mystery

Form of fiction (not true) Story revolves around a puzzle/problem Characters deal with the solution to a

puzzle/problem, such as– finding a missing item/person– unraveling a secret– rationalize an event that is not explained

Contains clues/hints that help the characters and readers solve the puzzle/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

Folktales

Form of fiction (not true) Story that teaches a lesson Contain the beliefs and customs of a region

or country Original story is modified to make it more

interesting or more humorous Present larger-than-life characters and very

unusual happenings

Examples of Folktales

•Aesop’s Fables•Beauty and the Beast•The Bunyans•Cinderella•John Henry•The Talking Eggs•The Tortoise and the Hare

Fables

Form of fiction (not true) Type of folktale Ends in a moral or lesson Characters are animals that talk and act like

humans A character usually represents a single

human characteristic, such as a fox being symbolic of a trickster

Legend

Form of fiction (not true) Stories written about a real life hero and his/her

mighty deeds Mix of fiction and historical facts that have been

creatively altered to encourage moral conduct and right choices

Leaves questions/wonder in the reader’s minds (Did Mike Fink really wrestle a grizzly bear?)

Myths

Form of fiction (not true) Pertains to the actions of the gods and/or

goddesses Characters are super-natural beings with

human emotions and qualities Plot may involve interplay between worlds

(this world and previous/original world)

Classics

Form of fiction (not true) Timelessness: enjoyed by readers from generation

to generation Deals with universal themes and experiences that

relate to readers, such as:– love conquers all– good vs. evil– rags to riches

Communicates ideas across cultures Unforgettable characters

Subgenres of Nonfiction

Expository Nonfiction Biography Autobiography

Interview Informational Narrative Nonfiction

Expository Nonfiction

Expository nonfiction provides information about real-life persons, objects, or ideas.

Expository nonfiction may include graphic sources, such as charts and photos, that show information.

A chart is a sheet of information. Facts are arranged in an easy-to-read form.

Biography

Story of a real person’s life Form of nonfiction (true) Bios means life Graphe means to write Author must do research by interviewing the

subject or those who knew the subject

Examples of Biography

•Tiger Woods: An American Master•The HomerunKings: BabeRuth and

Henry Aaron•Clara Barton, a Red Cross Pioneer•Sacagawea

Autobiography

Form of nonfiction (true) Story of a real person’s life Auto means self Bios means life Graphe means to write Written by the person the story is about Author does not need to do research Author shares how he/she feels and what he/she

thinks

Interview

In an interview the interviewer asksquestions. The other person, the subject, answers.

Interviews usually appear in magazines or newspapers.

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

Narrative Nonfiction

A narrative is writing that tells about events. Narrative nonfiction tells about events that really happened.

Poetry

Poetry has many different definitions Poetry is an arrangement of words in lines

having rhythm. Sometimes those lines rhyme, as in this narrative poem.

The art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts.

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

Drama/Play

Like a novel or a short story, a play tells a story but it is written to be acted out for an audience. Plays have many unique literary elements such as acts, scenes, stage directions, and speech tags.

Media Literacy

Media Literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms.

What is media?– Ads– News– Websites– Much more!