Reading Genres

FICTION

Traditional Literature:  Stories that are passed down from one group to another in history.  This includes folktales, legends, fables, fairy tales, tall tales, and myths from different cultures.

Fantasy:  A story including elements that are impossible such as talking animals or magical powers.  Make-believe is what this genre is all about.

Science Fiction:  A type of fantasy that uses science and technology (robots, time machines, etc.)

Realistic Fiction:  A story using made-up characters that could happen in real life.

Historical Fiction:  A fictional story that takes place in a particular time period in the past.  Often the setting is real, but the characters are made up from the author's imagination.

Mystery:  A suspenseful story about a puzzling event that is not solved until the end of the story.

NONFICTION

Informational:  Texts that provide facts about a variety of topics (sports, animals, science, history, careers, travel, geography, space, weather, etc.)

Biography:  The story of a real person's life written by another person.

Autobiography:  The story of a real person's life that is written by that person.

Poetry

Poetry is verse written to create a response of thought and feeling from the reader.  It often uses rhythm and rhyme to help convey its meaning.