Realistic Fiction
Could the events in realistic fiction happen in real life?
Yes
Historical fiction is set during a real period of the past or an imaginary magical world?
A real period of the past.
Which is a fantasy clue: magic or an ordinary school problem?
magic
Science fiction explores imagined science and technology or magic spells?
Imagined science and technology.
A dragon uses magic to turn a castle into candy.
Fantasy — a dragon and magical transformation.
Does “realistic” mean the story actually happened?
No. The story is invented but believable.
Can historical fiction include an invented character?
Yes
A wand makes flowers dance. Which detail makes this fantasy?
The wand magically makes flowers dance
Robots repair human homes on Mars. What clues suggest science fiction?
Robots maintaining an imagined human settlement on Mars.
A student forgets her homework and asks her teacher for another day to finish it.
Realistic fiction — a believable school situation.
Maya forgets her lines in the school play and asks a friend for help. What makes this realistic fiction?
Forgetting lines and asking for help could happen in real life.
An invented nurse cares for patients during the 1918 flu pandemic. What is the historical clue?
The 1918 flu pandemic
A baker’s bread sings every morning without any technology. Why is this fantasy?
Bread cannot naturally sing; the event is impossible.
A spacecraft uses an invented engine to travel between galaxies in minutes. What makes this science fiction?
The imagined scientific technology of the engine.
Astronauts use an invented engine to reach another galaxy in minutes.
Science fiction — imagined technology
Which detail belongs in realistic fiction: a student repairing a bicycle or a bicycle flying because of a spell? Explain.
Repairing a bicycle; it is possible in real life.
A student living today reads letters written in 1943. Does that detail alone make the story historical fiction? Why?
No. Old letters do not establish that the story itself is set in a historical period.
A story takes place at an ordinary school, but a backpack grants wishes. Can it still be fantasy? Explain.
Yes. The magical backpack makes it fantasy despite the ordinary setting.
A story takes place in the year 2200. Is the future date alone enough to identify science fiction? Explain.
No. Look for imagined science or technology.
An invented girl living during the Great Depression helps her family keep their grocery store open.
Historical fiction — an invented character in a real historical period.
An invented story takes place at a real school in Sacramento. A student struggles to make friends. Does the real location make it nonfiction? Explain.
No. Real places can appear in fiction; the characters or events are invented.
An invented boy delivers messages during the American Revolution. Identify the historical part and the fictional part.
Historical: the American Revolution. Fictional: the invented boy and his particular adventures.
Change this realistic event into fantasy: “Ava puts on her shoes and walks to school.” Add one clear fantasy clue.
Example: Ava puts on magical shoes and walks across the clouds to school.
Two characters become invisible. One uses a spell; the other uses an invented scientific device. Which fits science fiction, and why?
The scientific device; its explanation relies on imagined technology rather than magic.
A boy living today finds his grandfather’s letters from World War II and asks his family about them. The characters and events are invented, and nothing magical or technologically unusual happens.
Realistic fiction — the story occurs today; old letters alone do not make it historical fiction.