Library lesson about the different literary genres. Oklahoma Reading PASS Obj. 5.1 (3rd grade), 4.1 (4th grade), & 4.2 (5th grade)

1. Literary Genres
Reading Pass Obj: 5.1 (3rd), 4.1 (4th), 4.2 (5th)

2. What is GENRE?
Particular class or type of book. Two of the
broadest genres are FICTION and NON-
FICTION.
Even both of these can be broken down
further.

3. Non-Fiction
These are broken down by the Dewey
Decimal System into different categories.
There are also some of the different genres
that will be located in the non-fiction section
just because of the way they DDS works.

4. Fiction
Many different types that aren’t necessarily
broken into “sections” in a library like they
would be in a book store.

5. Picture Books/
Picture Story Books
Children’s story books
that provide a “visual”
experience. True
picture books have less
words / story, while
picture story books
have a story with
illustrations that
compliment the story.

6. Traditional Literature
Many of these will be found in the 398.2
non-fiction section of a library.

7. Traditional Literature
Folktales - feature “common
folks” such as peasants.
Some make-believe elements
like talking animals. Seek
to explain things about
real-life.
Fairy Tales - “magic stories”
filled with dream-like
possibilities. Feature
magical and enchanted
forces, but has “happily-
ever-after” ending.

8. Traditional Literature
Fables - short stories, in
verse or prose, with a moral
ending. Credited to Aesop,
who told tales of animals
and other inanimate objects
that teach lessons about
life.
Legends - Based in history,
these stories embellish the
life of a real person. Facts
& adventures of the person
are exaggerated.

9. Traditional Literature
Myths - portray
themselves as representing
a distant past. Contain
common themes and
characters, often “gods”.
Attempt to explain
beginning of word, natural
phenomena, relationships
between gods & humans.

10. Historical Fiction
Written to portray a time
period or convey
information about a specific
time period or historical
event. Much/most of the
incidents do occur, but the
characters in the story
don’t really exist.

11. Modern Fantasy
Don’t say when they
occur. Could be in the
past, could be in the
present. Readers must
accept elements and
story lines that can’t
be true. Can have
talking animals, science
fiction, supernatural,
or horror.

12. Realistic Fiction
Written for today’s
youth. Contain real-
world situations set in
today’s world. Stuff
could happen, but
characters aren’t real.

13. Biography
Form of non-fiction
that is based on the
life of a real person.
Autobiography means
that it was written
by the person that
it’s about.

14. Poetry & Drama
In the 800 section of the
non-fiction books.
Introduces children to
verse, prose, rhythm,
rhyme, writing styles,
literary devices,
symbolism, analogies, &
metaphors.

15. Wrap Up!
Write THREE genres that you like to read.
Write TWO genres that you’d like to try.
Write your favorite genre.