Fantasy Lit

Fantasy is fiction or a "made up" story that has elements or parts that are not realistic. Characters may have magical or supernatural powers or use some futuristic technology that allows fantastic things to happen. Fantasies may contain talking beasts, underground kingdoms, secret immortality (living forever or never dying), and mysterious wizards.

Oh, and look for books with blue and black covers. That seems important.

A fantasy allows readers to explore the past, the future, and worlds that coexist in the present.

There may be characters with magical or supernatural abilities such as witches, wizards, superheroes, mythical creatures, talking animals, and ghosts.

Fantasies takes on many forms, such as stories of enchantment, humorous tales, stories in which animals and toys are personified (act as people), and science fiction tales.

A fantasy blends fantastic (strange, fanciful, weird, or imaginary) with realistic detail.

The theme or main idea is quite often serious, involving a battle between good and evil, the meaning of life and death.social and political issues, or the theme may be universal (pertaining to or felt by all people).

Notes

Fantasy Literature

• Fantastic (unreal) details plus realistic details• Characters have magical or supernatural

abilities• Many forms—including many children’s

stories and science fiction• Serious themes—life and death, good and

evil, the meaning of life, social and political issues, human values

• Allows the reader to explore and think about these themes in a creative way