Genres of Children's Literature

       Genres of children's literature include; traditional literature, fantasy, science fiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, poetry, and nonfiction biography.

• Traditional literature includes literature in which there is no know author and is a oral and literary heritage of humankind.
• Fantasy includes literature of imaginative worlds. They are make-believe story settings, people and creatures, or events that could not happen in real life.
• Science Fiction includes literature where stories include what might occur in the future based on extending physical laws and scientific principles.
• Realistic Fiction includes literature that includes "what if" stories, illusion of reality. In realistic fiction characters seem real and has a contemporary setting.
• Historical Fiction includes literature that is set in the past and could not have happened. Stories reconstruct events of the past that occurs.
• Poetry includes literature that contains condensed language, imagery, expression of imaginative thoughts and perceptions.
• Nonfiction Biography includes literature that takes an account of a person's life or part of a life history. This includes information facts about the real world.

         Categories within the genre include:

• Traditional literature- Folktales, fairy tales, myths and legends, tall tales, and fables.
• Fantasy and Science fiction- Animal fantasy, toys and objects, miniature worlds, time warps, unreal worlds, magic, preposterous characters or situations, quest tales, science fiction.
• Realistic fiction- adventure stories, mysteries, animal stories, stories about growing up, families, sports.
• Historical fiction- fictionalized memoir, fictionalized family history, fiction based on research.
• Poetry- Mother Goose, nursery rhymes, lyric, narrative, limericks, haiku, free verse, concrete, sonnet, ballad.
• Nonfictional biography- authentic biography, memoir, autobiography, informational.

        An example of a book for each genre:

• Traditional literature- The Rough-Faced Girl retold by R. Martin
• Fantasy and Science fiction- The Tale of Despereaux by K. DiCamillo
• Realistic fiction- Kira Kira by C. Kadohata
• Historical fiction- The Upstairs Room by J. Reiss
• Poetry- Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by R. Frost
• Nonfiction Biography- The Lost Garden by L. Yep 

 Johnson, D. (2009). The joy of children's literature. (2 ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. pgs 8-9