What is Genre? Genre is the way we commonly classify and categorize books. Why should I bother with it?
The 7 Major Genres • • Fantasy Realistic Fiction Mystery Historical Fiction Non-Fiction Poetry Science Fiction
Science Fiction • Also called Sci-Fi • Imaginative and creative • Advanced technology • Often (but not always) takes place in the future
Realistic Fiction • A story that COULD happen but is NOT true • Based on real-life problems, situations, and characters • No magic or make -believe
Fantasy • A story that could not happen in real life • Imaginative and creative • Magic, supernatural creatures, or humans with special abilities are involved
Mystery • Full of suspense • Gives the reader and characters clues along the way • Involves a puzzle (usually “who did it? ”) the reader can solve
Historical Fiction • Story is NOT true, but many of the facts (especially setting) are • Explains how people lived and acted • Usually takes place during an interesting time in history
Nonfiction • TRUE- tells about real people, places, and events • Can be narrative (like a memoir) or informational (like a how-to book) • More topics than you can count!
Poetry • Written in verse, as opposed to prose (regular writing with sentences) • Vivid and emotional • Can be a collection of short poems or used to tell a story
Of course, most books don’t fit in just one genre. That’s ok!