Define That Genre
A story that is set in the past and borrows true details from history, but the main characters are usually made up.
What is Historical Fiction?
This story includes pictures and looks similar to comics.
What is graphic novel?
What is something written strictly for information purposes, non-fiction?
What is informational?
Elena Rueda loves baseball--and is the best player on her team--but recently has stopped having fun, so during a summer spent with her brother's quirky friends she reflects on who she is and maybe learns love to play again.
What is Sports Fiction?
"Maya’s heart did a nervous flip-flop when she saw Leo walking toward her in the crowded hallway. She quickly tried to hide her sketchpad, but her books slipped, sending pencils scattering across the floor. She braced herself for embarrassment, but then a pair of familiar blue sneakers stopped in front of her. 'Need some help?' Leo asked, already bending down to pick up her colored pencils. Maya felt her cheeks burning, but she managed to smile. 'Thanks, Leo. I'm just… clumsy today.' He handed her a pencil, his fingers brushing against hers, and smiled back. 'It’s okay. I’m pretty sure I tripped over my own locker door this morning."
What is Romance?
This genre uses rhythm, rhyme, and stanzas to express feelings or ideas.
What is Poetry?
This story is not true, but COULD really happen in reality.
What is Realistic Fiction?
Why are fairy tales, folk tales, myths, and fables in the nonfiction section of our library?
What is because they are traditional literature?
"Long ago, when the Earth was new, the Great Raven flew across the dark sky and pulled the sun from a cedar box to bring light to the people."
What is a Myth (or Folk Tale)?
"Poppy’s mother kept the Great Queen in a glass case, but the doll never looked like it was just sitting there. Its glassy eyes always seemed to follow you, shifting just a fraction of an inch whenever you turned your back. One stormy night, I swear I heard tiny porcelain footsteps tap-tapping across the floorboards in the hallway. I didn't want to look, but the door creaked open, and the doll was standing right there on the rug, covered in dust and wet mud, its smile wider than before."
What is horror?
A fictional story that revolves around discoveries, secrets, or solving crimes.
What is Mystery?
This genre features "The Hero’s Journey," magic, or quests in imaginary worlds.
What is Fantasy?
A story written about someone's life by someone else.
What is a Biography?
"I was born in a small cabin in 1809. My childhood was spent working the land, but I always kept a book in my hand, dreaming of a bigger life."
What is a Biography/Autobiography?
Leo stared at the recipe, confident he could master the art of the birthday cake. "Sugar, two cups," he muttered, reaching for the bag that looked vaguely white. He dumped the contents into the bowl with a flourish.
As he flicked the electric mixer to its highest setting, disaster struck. A plume of flour—which was actually the cornstarch he’d mistaken for sugar—erupted like a volcanic cloud, coating the kitchen cabinets, the dog, and Leo’s eyebrows in a fine, white powder. When he finally tasted the batter, his face contorted into a mask of pure shock. He hadn't used sugar; he had used salt.
"Well," Leo coughed, waving away the dust, "at least the dog likes it." He watched as Barnaby the bulldog happily licked the salty, powdery floor, leaving behind a trail of paw prints that looked like a crime scene in a baking show. The cake was a disaster, but the look on his mom’s face when she walked in would certainly be the most memorable part of her birthday.
What is humor?
A fictional story in which actors act out a story or situation through dialogue, singing, or actions.
What is Drama?
This genre explores "What if?" scenarios involving advanced technology, space travel, or aliens.
What is Science Fiction?
A sub-genre of Non-fiction where a person writes the story of their own life.
What is an autobiography?
"The dragon’s scales glinted like emeralds as it guarded the cave. Elara gripped her magic staff, knowing the kingdom depended on her success."
What is Fantasy?
The Whispering Caves
Maya adjusted her backpack straps, the cold dampness of the cave entrance settling into her skin. “Just one more clue,” she whispered to herself, looking at the tattered map. The torchlight flickered against the wet limestone, casting long, dancing shadows that looked like creeping monsters. Behind her, Sam was complaining, but she barely heard him over the sound of her own heart pounding. She had to find the Sunstone before the smugglers did. Suddenly, the cave floor trembled. Ahead, a massive underground river cut across their path, roaring with deafening force. A narrow, rotting rope bridge was the only way across. "Ready?" Maya yelled over the roar, her voice steady despite the fear clutching her chest. She took a deep breath, stepped onto the swaying wood, and began to cross."
What is adventure?
Stories that often involve gods, goddesses, and explanations for how the world was created.
What is Mythology?
Traditional stories passed down through generations that often include "Once upon a time" or royalty.
What are Fairy Tales?
A nonfiction narrative focusing on a specific, personal, and transformative theme or period in the author's life, rather than a full chronological biography.
What is Memoir?
"To bake the perfect chocolate chip cookie, first preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth."
What is Informational?
The morning alarm didn't wake 7942; the mandatory dopamine dose injected directly into his wrist did. He rose, dressing in the standard gray uniform before joining the silent throng of citizens walking toward the sterilization tunnels. In the city of Neo-Veridia, individuality was considered a contagious disease, and the Monitors, perched on high-rise telescreens, were the cure. 7942 kept his eyes down, careful not to show emotion—a "Contrarian Tendency"—as the massive screen announced: “Compliance is Comfort. Freedom is Fear.” He felt the familiar, artificial warmth of contentment wash over him, a synthetic emotion designed to make him love his cage.
What is a dystopian?