Book Genres

Genres - a category of literature defined by their shared characteristics.

		Biography/Autobiography ~ Narrative of a person's life, a true story about a real person. An autobiography is a story written by the person it is about. A biography is a story about a real person, written by someone else. The person in a biography/autobiography can be dead or alive. The story explains how the person affected others.
		Drama ~ Stories written in verse or prose, usually for theatrical performance, where conflicts and emotion are expressed through dialogue and action.
		Fables ~ A short story with animal characteristics that act and speak as humans. There is a moral or lesson to be learned at the end of the tale.
		Fairy Tale ~ A story that often begins, "Once upon a time" and ends with "they lived happily ever after." The characters are make believe and there is magic used in the story. Good versus evil.
		Fantasy ~ Fiction that contains elements that are NOT realistic, such as talking animals, magical powers, and good versus evil. Creatures may be used in the story that do not exit.
		Fiction ~ An imaginary story that is usually written in narrative form.
		Folktale ~ Folktales are stories passed down from one generation to another by word of mouth. Folktales are sometimes based on historical figures, but most of the story is fictionalized.
		Historical Fiction ~ The story takes place during a period in history. Real events from history are mixed with fictional events. Some characters may be real and others are fictional. The characters may speak in a way to represent the time period.
		Legend ~ This is a story that is told as a historical event, rather than as an explanation for something or a symbolic narrative. The legend may or may not be an elaborated version of a historical event.
		Mystery ~ A fictional story that is usually realistic. The story has a problem that is not solved until the end of the story that keeps the reader in suspense. The characters usually include suspects and witnesses.
		Mythology ~ A myth gives a religious explanation for something; how the world or a particular custom began.
		Nonfiction ~ Books that provide true facts and information about various subjects. Nonfiction books may include charts and graphs.
		Poetry ~ Verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that touches a person's feelings. They are often read aloud.
		Realistic Fiction ~ A story that can actually happen. The characters are just like you and I. The setting is in modern times.
		Reference ~ Books that provide true facts and information. Some examples include dictionaries, almanacs, atlas, thesaurus, and encyclopedias.
		Science Fiction ~ Stories that include futuristic ideas; a blend of scientific fact and fictional elements. A problem is usually solved using science.
		Tall Tales ~ Tall tales are folktales with a key element of exaggeration, such as Paul Bunyan.