2. Contemporary Realistic Fiction
By: Kelly Harper & Cynthia Howard

3. What is Contemporary Realistic Fiction?
Genre that mirrors life
Books have characters, events, and plots that have not actually happened in real life, but could actually happen
Characters deal with life’s ups and downs in realistic ways

4. Survival and Adventure
Genres Within
Animals
Humor
Mystery
Problem Novels
Series Books
Sports
Survival and Adventure

5. Major Themes Overcoming fears and accepting responsibilities
Understanding families, divorce, and adoption
Accomplishing goals in sports
Developing and Maturing

6. More Themes Finding Romance
Finding friends: Relationships, alienation, and a sense of belonging

7. Coping with violence, crime, alcohol, and drug abuse
Themes Cont.
Coping with violence, crime, alcohol, and drug abuse
Living with physical and mental disabilities

8. Themes Cont.
Coping with death, disease, accidents, and suicide, and growing old
Developing an understanding of sexual issues
Living in global society: politics, war, prejudice, conflicts, religion

9. Choosing Quality Literature Within the Genre
Realistic Setting
Credible, non-stereotypical characters- multidimensional, change over time
Believable problems, solved in culturally grounded and realistic ways
Natural dialogue
Theme applicable to children’s
lives

10. How the Genre Has Evolved Over Time
Time Period
Description
Pre 1960’s
Many realities of human existence (pregnancy, crime, social injustice, etc) deemed “unsuitable” for children and not included in children’s literature
Mid 1960s
American society changes (Vietnam War, civil rights movement, etc) Effects were too widespread to hide and young people began to be seen as full citizens.
Darker subject matter was introduced into children’s books
1970s- Present
Society continues to change and topics reflecting that change appear in children’s literature (AIDS, drugs in schools, inner-city survival, terrorism, etc.)

11. Why Realistic Fiction? MY Life- shared problems and situations
Allows children to identify with characters and deal with issues in a different way
Judy Blume

12. R.F. for Young Children Barbara Park: Primary
Paula Danzinger: Primary/mid. school humor
Beverly Cleary: Primary/mid school humor
Judy Blume: Preteen

13. Notable Pre-teen/Teen Authors
Judy Blume:  teen/pre-teen problem novels
Betsy Byers:  Pre teen problem novels
Virginia Hamilton:  African Am. Experience
Lois Lowry:  teen/pre-teen problem
Phyllis R. Naylor:  adolescent humor, animal stories
Gary Paulsen:  survival & adventure fiction
Jerry Spinelli:  teen/ pre teen problem
Laurie Halse Anerson: YA problem
Chris Crutcher:  YA

14. R.F. for Older Children Carolyn Coman (Many Stones)
Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak)
Alex Finn (Breathing Underwater)

15. Favorites

16. Notables Taboos of literature are tested Most popular genre
Changed drastically over time
Bibliotherapy

17. Bibliography
Bucher, K. & Hinton, K. (2010). Young adult literature: Exploration, evaluation, and appreciation. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Jacobs, J.S. & Tunnell, M.O. (2008). Children’s literature, briefly. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.