Genres

What are literary genres?Genres are different types of literature.

Each genre has its own definition and characteristics.

Non-FictionNon-Fiction books are books about true subjects or ideas. These are books that

generally have an index, glossary, table of contents, appendix, and prefaces that we

talked about.

Informational TextWhat it is:

Books about a single subject that are true.

Examples:

BiographyA book about a

person’s life written by someone else.

Can be about:Their entire lieA part of their lifeA single event in

their lifeLocated in 92 and

920

Examples:

AutobiographyA book about a

persons’ life written by them.

Can be about:Their entire lieA part of their lifeA single event in

their lifeLocated in 92

Examples:

Fiction…Only A Little Different

These books may be located in the non-fiction section. However they are fiction, which

means they are made up stories.

Play/DramaWritten for the stageContains a cast of

characters and dialogue

Story is told solely through the actions and words of the characters

Located in 812

Examples

PoetryGroups of words

that are written with rhythm and sometimes rhyme.

Many different kinds of poetry

Located in 811

Examples:

Fiction

Realistic FictionFiction that could

happen in real life and is set in modern times.

Characters are not real, but setting could be a real place.

Examples:

Historical FictionFiction that includes

historical information mixed in with the “made up” part of the story.

Events that happen could be real.

Some true people could be mixed in with made up characters.

Settings are real.

Examples:

MysteryFiction where the

main character must solve a crime or figure out a secret.

The plot is suspenseful and full of twists and turns.

Examples:

Still Fiction…Only Fantasy

Modern FantasyA story that could

never be real.Set in modern times.Usually contains

magical elements.

Examples:

Fairy TaleA story that has

magical elements and has a happy ending.

Examples:

FableA short story which

includes animals with certain traits (all good, all bad, all hard-working, all lazy)

Ends with a moral or a lesson.

Examples:

MythA story that has

been handed down to explain how human nature works that has no basis in reality.

Examples:

LegendA story that has

been handed down but has some basis of fact but with mythical qualities.

Examples:

Tall TaleA story that is

exaggerated. Characters and

events in the story are larger than life.

Examples:

Genre Pie…Mmmm!