GENRES
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- novels are fiction, not real
- novels are long stories - often called chapter books
- genre means the kind of story the novel is
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Some recommended
Authors
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| Adventure |
- something exciting takes place.
- lots of action happens
- the plot is more important than the characters
- events could take place in the real world
- sometimes the story was inspired by real life
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- Gary Paulsen
- Monica Hughes
- Theodore Taylor
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| Animal |
- primarily about an animal
- most common are pets, dogs, horses
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| *Biography |
- although technically not a novel, biographies are true stories of
people's lives
- they are like a novel in that there is a beginning, middle & end
- something that happens in one part of life, affects what happens in
another - just like history & a good novel
- may be read and counted as a novel
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| Fantasy |
- takes place in an imaginary world or time
- make believe
- often about wizards, dragons, mythical creatures and magic
- many details about the scenery (setting) & characters
- events could never take place in the real world
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- J.K. Rowling
- Bruce Colville
- C.S. Lewis
- Lloyd Alexander
- Natalie Babbitt
- E.B. White
- Beverly Cleary
- Roald Dahl
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| Historical Fiction |
- stories take place in a definite place in history.
- something similar to the story could have happened. Often based on
real people & events
- can include real facts and places
- very much like the real world - just at a different time in history
- yeaches us about the past, how people lived
- much time spent on setting, plot and characters
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- Laura Ingals Wilder
- Kit Pearson
- Karen Cushman
- Janet Lunn
- Jean Little
- Avi
- Jannette Oke
- Barbara Smucker
- Carol Matas
- Bernice Thurman Hunter
- Scott O'Dell
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| Horror |
- stories keep reader in suspense. Scary or frightening.
- often full of blood, gore, death, murder, weapons, nasty
characters.
- characters involved in situations that are hurtful physically or
mentally.
- the events are fiction but seem real to the reader.
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Students need to have parental permission to read this
genre.
R.L. Stine, Bruce Colville, Lois Duncan
Stephen King is a masterful author of horror books but he is a writer
for adults & even then he is too gruesome for most. |
| Humour |
- can be realist or totally made up
- involves funny situations
- reading these stories make you laugh or smile
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| Mystery
(Detective) |
- usually based on a crime or something that seems to be a crime or
suspicious event
- often has the word "mystery" in the title
- often full of false clues and hints of what is to come
(foreshadowing)
- cliff hangers at the end of chapters & suspense
- many details about the characters and the setting of the crime
- lots of descriptive words to set the mood
- often a detective or sleuth (or wanabee) involved
- appeals to people who like to figure things out, solving puzzles,
logic
- to solve the mystery - use Who, What, Where, When, Why and How
- authors often write series like the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books
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- Eric Wilson
- Lynne Reid Banks
- Agatha Christie
- Joan Lowery Nixon
- Lois Duncan
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| Slice of Life
(Realistic Fiction)
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- story could really happen
- describes real life events
- set in modern times
- characters are fictional but the situations are real that real
live people experience
- lots of information about the characters
- often deal with school, real life problems (divorce, death,
disease), friendship, family, romance
- brings out emotions of characters and makes the reader identify with
what is happening in the story - they care what happens to the
characters
- authors often write series for young people like the Baby Sitters
Club
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- Gary Paulsen
- Kit Pearson
- Ann M. Martin
- Judy Blume
- Cynthia Voigt
- Paul Danziger
- Phoebe Gilman
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| Letter/ Diary Format |
- story is told in the form of a series of letters or diary entries
- excellent guide for students wishing to know how to write better
letters
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- Bernice Thurman Hunter ( Amy's Promise)
- Lois Lowry (Anastasia Krupnik)
- Elvira Woodruff (Dear Levi)
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| Science Fiction |
- story is set far in the future
- events could happen though some of the aliens and events seem
far-fetched
- problems faced in story based on something that has a scientific
basis in reality
- many situations seem unreal
- fantasy often combined with science fiction - sometimes hard to
decide which is which
- usually written at a higher level (grade 5/6 and above) - little is
written for the beginning novel reader
- authors often write series
- often based on or source of television shows or movies
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- Lloyd Alexander
- Ray Bradbury
- Terry Brooks
- Diane Duanne
- Monica Hughes
- Annette Curtis Klause
- Lois Lowry
- Anne McMaffrey
- Timothy Zahn
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| Sports |
- usually about sports that are done by kids
- baseball, basketball, gymnastics, football, dance
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