Genre: a distinctive category of literary composition Literature Genre: marked by distinctive style, form and content. One is just right for YOU!

Are You for Real? NON-FICTION: real, factual, deals with actual people, places, and events FICTION: unreal, not true, not factual, a made up story

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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