This introduction to fiction genres helps young readers to understand the characteristics of historical fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery and folktales. Through pictures, examples, and review, students will learn how to identify and use genres.

1. Fiction Genres
What kind of
story are you
reading?

2. Essential Questions
• How can I identify fiction genres?
• And why should I care?

3. What is a genre?
• A genre is a kind of text
• Different genres have different kinds of
settings, conflicts, and characters

4. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

5. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

6. Historical Fiction
Historical fiction stories take place in the past
They might include real
people, events, and
places, but also include
parts that are made up
by the author

7. Historical Fiction
Which one is the beginning of a historical
fiction story about school?
Marcy rode the school John walked to school.
bus to school. She was He needed to arrive early
excited about her day. so that he could start the
Today there would be an fire in the stove. Without
assembly about reptiles! the stove, the
schoolroom would be
She couldn’t wait to see
very cold!
some real, live snakes.

8. Historical Fiction
Which one is the beginning of a historical
fiction story about school?
John walked to school.
He needed to arrive early
so that he could start the
fire in the stove. Without
the stove, the
schoolroom would be
very cold!

9. Historical Fiction
What details show that this is historical fiction?
John walked to school.
He needed to arrive early
so that he could start the
fire in the stove. Without
the stove, the
schoolroom would be
very cold!

10. Historical Fiction
What details show that this is historical fiction?
John walked to school.
He needed to arrive early
so that he could start the
fire in the stove. Without
the stove, the
schoolroom would be
very cold!

11. Historical Fiction
Which should you think about and notice as
you read historical fiction?
A. How people use really cool machines
B. How children everywhere are all the same
C. How the conflict often comes from historical
events or settings

12. Historical Fiction
Which should you think about and notice as
you read historical fiction?
A. How people use really cool machines
B. How children everywhere are all the same
C. How the conflict often comes from historical
events or settings

13. Why should I care?
• Readers can often learn a great deal about
history from reading historical fiction
• As you read, notice the names of the
important people, places, and events

14. Learning from historical fiction
Think about a historical fiction book that you
have read. What was it about? What did you
learn?

15. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

16. Realistic Fiction
• Realistic fiction stories take place in the
PRESENT
• They include characters and situations that
could really happen
• But realistic fiction stories are still made up by
the author

17. Realistic Fiction
• Realistic fiction stories usually look at topics
like friendship, growing up, and being in a
family

18. Realistic Fiction
Can you find the example of realistic fiction?
Cousins can be so Hmm..this gadget
annoying! Robert had real
stood outside on the possibilities. As I
kitchen porch. His looked at the Time
cousin had tramped Travel 2000 Zapper,
into his bedroom and I imagined all of the
stolen his new video great places I could
game console. What a visit. I couldn’t wait!
pain!

19. Realistic Fiction
Can you find the example of realistic fiction?
Cousins can be so
annoying! Robert
stood outside on the
kitchen porch. His
cousin had tramped
into his bedroom and
stolen his new video
game console. What a
pain!

20. Realistic Fiction
Can you find the example of realistic fiction?
Cousins can be so
annoying! Robert
This takes place in the
stood outside on the
present. It includes events
kitchen porch. His
that could happen in real
cousin had tramped
life, so it is realistic
into his bedroom and
fiction.
stolen his new video
game console. What a
pain!

21. Why should I care?
• Realistic fiction stories often involve
characters like you
• Reading about how other kids solve their
problems can help you to think about your
own life and how you can solve problems

22. Comparing genres
• How are historical fiction and realistic fiction
different from one another?
• Which one do you prefer? Why?

23. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

24. Fantasy
Fantasy stories include magic, mythical
creatures, and things that just can’t happen in
everyday life

25. Fantasy
Fantasy stories can happen in the real world,
or in imaginary fantasy worlds

26. Fantasy
Even though fantasy stories include magic,
there are still rules…it’s important to pay
attention to the way that magic works in each
story

27. Which story is the fantasy?
The castle rose above the “Where is my
hill. James trudged up the apprentice?” roared the
road, eager to find out what wizard.
lay ahead. Soon, soon he A slim, small boy
would learn all that there was appeared at the door.
to being a knight. He would “Yes, Master List?” he
start as a page, and then asked.
become a squire, and then he “I need your help!”
would become a knight. exclaimed the wizard.
But all of that was years in “The kingdom is being
threatened by a dragon. I
the future. First, he had to
can stop it, but I need to
make it up that hill!
finish this potion.”
The boy sighed. It
would be a long, long day.

28. Fantasy
“Where is my
apprentice?” roared the
wizard.
A slim, small boy
What details make this appeared at the door.
a fantasy? “Yes, Master List?” he
asked.
“I need your help!”
exclaimed the wizard.
“The kingdom is being
threatened by a dragon. I
can stop it, but I need to
finish this potion.”
The boy sighed. It
would be a long, long day.

29. Fantasy
“Where is my
apprentice?” roared the
wizard.
A slim, small boy
What details make this appeared at the door.
a fantasy? “Yes, Master List?” he
asked.
“I need your help!”
exclaimed the wizard.
“The kingdom is being
threatened by a dragon. I
can stop it, but I need to
finish this potion.”
The boy sighed. It
would be a long, long day.

30. Fantasy
Be careful! Fantasy stories can sometimes
start out sounding like realistic fiction. Look
for the little details that point to fantasy.

31. Reading for Fantasy Details
Can you find the details that point to a fantasy?
Rachel walked up to her school. She had her
homework and her lunch. She was ready for
the day.
But then she stared at the entrance to the
school. Overnight, the regular metal doors
had transformed into a huge drawbridge. A
scaly green dragon coiled around the swing
set.

32. Reading for Fantasy Details
Can you find the details that point to a fantasy?
Rachel walked up to her school. She had her
homework and her lunch. She was ready for
the day.
But then she stared at the entrance to the
school. Overnight, the regular metal doors
had transformed into a huge drawbridge. A
scaly green dragon coiled around the swing
set.

33. Animal Fantasy
Stories which include talking animals are a
kind of fantasy called animal fantasy

34. Why should I care?
• Fantasy stories often show how even magic
can’t solve every problem
• Reading fantasy stories expands your
imagination and helps you to imagine other
worlds and other possibilities

35. What have you learned?
• How is fantasy different from realistic fiction?
• What fantasy stories have you read?

36. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

37. Science Fiction
• Like fantasy, science fiction includes details
and events that can’t happen in the real world
• Instead of magic, though, science fiction
focuses more on special technology

38. Science Fiction
In science fiction, look for:
 Time travel
 Unbelievable gadgets
 Aliens
 Space travel that doesn’t yet exist

39. Science Fiction
• Science fiction stories often explore how
technology affects people and changes our
lives
• Some stories show that amazing technology
still doesn’t make people happy
• Others show that some kinds of technology
can cause problems in the world

40. Science Fiction
Science fiction stories can happen in the past,
present, or future

41. What details show that this is science
fiction?
Topher pressed the button. Zoom! Zip! Suddenly he
was traveling up, up toward the sky. Wow! This was
not boring. Topher looked down toward his backyard.
It was getting smaller and smaller and smaller. He
looked up at the sky. The clouds were getting closer
and closer. Whoosh! He flew through a cloud. It felt
wet and slimy. But then things started getting darker.
He was leaving Earth’s atmosphere. Now he was in
space! Topher saw a gray green spaceship ahead. A
black door opened and he drifted through. Wow! This
was much, much better than playing with a flat soccer
ball.

42. What details show that this is science
fiction?
Topher pressed the button. Zoom! Zip! Suddenly he
was traveling up, up toward the sky. Wow! This was
not boring. Topher looked down toward his backyard.
It was getting smaller and smaller and smaller. He
looked up at the sky. The clouds were getting closer
and closer. Whoosh! He flew through a cloud. It felt
wet and slimy. But then things started getting darker.
He was leaving Earth’s atmosphere. Now he was in
space! Topher saw a gray green spaceship ahead. A
black door opened and he drifted through. Wow! This
was much, much better than playing with a flat soccer
ball.

43. What details show that this is science
fiction?
Topher pressed the button. Zoom! Zip! Suddenly he
was traveling up, up toward the sky. Wow! This was
not boring. Topher looked down toward his backyard.
It was getting smaller and smaller and smaller. He
looked up at the sky. The clouds were getting closer
and closer. Whoosh! He flew through a cloud. It felt
wet and slimy. But then things started getting darker.
He was leaving Earth’s atmosphere. Now he was in
space! Topher saw a gray green spaceship ahead. A
black door opened and he drifted through. Wow! This
was much, much better than playing with a flat soccer
ball.

44. Why should I care?
• Many people think that new technology is
always good—the newer and faster the better!
• Science fiction helps us to think about some
of the effects of new technology that may not
be as great for ourselves and our world

45. Test yourself !
Which genre includes real events that happened
in the past, along with details made up by the
author?
A. Realistic fiction
B. Historical fiction
C. Science fiction
D. Fantasy

46. Test yourself !
Which genre includes real events that happened
in the past, along with details made up by the
author?
A. Realistic fiction
B. Historical fiction
C. Science fiction
D. Fantasy

47. Test yourself !
You are reading a story about fifth graders who
create a school newspaper. You are probably
reading…
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

48. Test yourself !
You are reading a story about fifth graders who
create a school newspaper. You are probably
reading…
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

49. Test yourself !
You pick up a book from the library. It has a
castle and a unicorn on the cover. This book is
probably…
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

50. Test yourself !
You pick up a book from the library. It has a
castle and a unicorn on the cover. This book is
probably…
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

51. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

52. Mystery
• In a mystery, the main character is trying to
solve a mystery
• The main character finds clues and follows
leads

53. Mystery
• Whether or not a story is a mystery is not
determined by the setting
• A mystery can happen in the past, present, or
future

54. Mystery
What makes a story a mystery is how the
action unfolds…if the main character is
trying to solve a puzzle or figure something
out, the story is probably a mystery

55. Mystery
If you are reading a novel, you might not
discover the mystery until you are a few pages
or even chapters into the book
Be careful! Some stories do
have elements of mystery, or
short little mysteries in the
course of a bigger story. But is
the mystery the main conflict?

56. Which story is the mystery?
Jake peeked out
Melissa stood on her
from behind the
grandmother’s porch.
porch. For the past No other kids lived
three days, around here for miles.
something had She was stuck here for
stolen the pies his three whole months.
grandmother put Whatever would she
out on the porch to do? How could she
cool. Today, he’d find spend her time, with no
out who the culprit one to play with?
was.

57. Which story is the mystery?
Jake peeked out
from behind the
porch. For the past This is the mystery. Notice
three days, that there is a problem that
something had the main character is trying
stolen the pies his to solve.
grandmother put
out on the porch to
cool. Today, he’d find
out who the culprit
was.

58. Why should I care?
• Mystery stories are a great way to develop
careful reading skills
• Often, important clues are buried in dialogue
or long paragraphs
• By reading mysteries, you’ll learn how to
notice these clues and figure out the solution!

59. Reading mysteries
• Have you ever read a mystery story or series?
• What was the mystery? How did the main
character try to solve it?

60. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

61. Folktales
• Folktales are stories that have been told and
retold over many years
• Folktales exist in every culture around the
world

62. Folktales
Folktales include myths, tall tales, and fairy
tales

63. Folktales
• Some folktales tell why something exists or
how something came to be
• These stories are called pourquoi tales

64. Folktales
• Have you ever read a pourquoi tale? What was
it about?

65. Folktales
• Some folktales include tricksters
• These characters play tricks or outsmart
other characters

66. Folktales
• In Native American
stories, Coyote is the
trickster
• In some African
stories, the spider
Anansi is the trickster

67. Why should I care?
Folktales are a great way to learn about
different cultures from around the world

68. Folktales
• Do you enjoy reading folktales? Why or why
not?

69. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

70. Genre Hybrids
• A genre hybrid (or cross-genre) is a text that
includes elements of different genres
• Just like a hybrid car uses both gasoline and
electricity, hybrid genres can have
characteristics of two or more genres

71. Genre Hybrids
As you think about the genre of a text,
remember that there are many stories that
don’t fit perfectly into any one genre

72. Genre Hybrids
For example, a story that combines science
fiction elements with magic could be called
“science fantasy”
Have you ever read any hybrid books? What
genres did they combine?

73. What have you learned?
On the next few slides,
you’ll see descriptions of
popular books. Can you
figure out the genres of
the books?

74. What’s the genre?
In this book, Lucy discovers that a wardrobe chest
is a door that leads to another world—a world
filled with magical creatures like fauns, witches,
and talking animals
The genre is…
The book is…

75. What’s the genre?
In this book, Lucy discovers that a wardrobe chest
is a door that leads to another world—a world
filled with magical creatures like fauns, witches,
and talking animals
The genre is…Fantasy
The book is…

76. What’s the genre?
In this book, Lucy discovers that a wardrobe chest
is a door that leads to another world—a world
filled with magical creatures like fauns, witches,
and talking animals
The genre is…Fantasy
The book is…
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by
C.S. Lewis

77. What’s the genre?
In this book, Nick Allen creates a new word for
pen—the word “frindle”. The new word catches on
with kids at school, much to the dismay of their
Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Granger
The genre is…
The book is…

78. What’s the genre?
In this book, Nick Allen creates a new word for
pen—the word “frindle”. The new word catches on
with kids at school, much to the dismay of their
Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Granger
The genre is…realistic fiction
The book is…

79. What’s the genre?
In this book, Nick Allen creates a new word for
pen—the word “frindle”. The new word catches on
with kids at school, much to the dismay of their
Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Granger
The genre is…realistic fiction
The book is…
Frindle by Andrew Clements

80. What’s the genre?
In this story, Anansi the Spider discovers a rock
that causes one to fall down and sleep. He uses this
rock to trick the other animals and steals all of
their food.
The genre is…
The book is…

81. What’s the genre?
In this story, Anansi the Spider discovers a rock
that causes one to fall down and sleep. He uses this
rock to trick the other animals and steals all of
their food.
The genre is…folktale
The book is…

82. What’s the genre?
In this story, Anansi the Spider discovers a rock
that causes one to fall down and sleep. He uses this
rock to trick the other animals and steals all of
their food.
The genre is…folktale
The book is…
Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock by Eric
Kimmel

83. What’s the genre?
In this book, Tony tries to find out why a
robin on his neighbor’s porch has died. He
collects clues that point to the culprit.
The genre is…
The book is…

84. What’s the genre?
In this book, Tony tries to find out why a
robin on his neighbor’s porch has died. He
collects clues that point to the culprit.
The genre is…Mystery
The book is…

85. What’s the genre?
In this book, Tony tries to find out why a
robin on his neighbor’s porch has died. He
collects clues that point to the culprit.
The genre is…Mystery
The book is… Who Really Killed Cock
Robin? An Ecological Mystery by Jean
Craighead George

86. What’s the genre?
In this book, Peter and Susan think that their new
teacher is really an alien. They spy on him to try to
find out the truth…and learn that he really is from
another planet!
The genre is…
The book is…

87. What’s the genre?
In this book, Peter and Susan think that their new
teacher is really an alien. They spy on him to try to
find out the truth…and learn that he really is from
another planet!
The genre is…Science fiction
The book is…

88. What’s the genre?
In this book, Peter and Susan think that their new
teacher is really an alien. They spy on him to try to
find out the truth…and learn that he really is from
another planet!
The genre is…Science fiction
The book is…
My Teacher Is An Alien by Bruce Coville

89. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

90. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction What have you
• Fantasy learned about
• Science fiction fiction genres?
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

91. By Emily Kissner