Adventure/Suspense: Stories that contain main characters that are constantly faced with challenging situations. These books are page-turners and full of action.
Fantasy: Fictional stories that contain elements that are not realistic, such as talking animals, magical powers, etc. Requires its reader to imagine and make-believe.
Fable: A short tale about animals or objects that have human powers and faults.
Characters usually can talk, and they teach lessons which can be used in everyday life.
Folk Tale: A story with no known author. Originally passed on from one generation to another by word of mouth.
Fairy Tale: A short story or "tale," usually starting with "Once upon a time..." Contains both good and bad characters, and often ends with "… and they lived happily ever after." Little Red Riding Hood is a good example of a fairy tale.
Mystery: A novel or story about a puzzling event or set of events which is not explained
until the end, so as to keep the reader in suspense.
Historical: A story in which the setting (time & place) plays a key role in the story (rather than being just a backdrop). This type of book makes the past come to life.
Non-Fiction: A story or book in which all of the information is true fact. Non-fiction literature can be written about any real subject.
Science Fiction: A book that often includes futuristic technology and blends scientific fact and fiction.
Realistic Fiction: A story that takes place in modern time. The characters are involved in events that could really happen.
Biography: The story of a real person's life, written or told by another person.
Autobiography: The story of a person's life, written or told by that person.
Sports: Literature that includes newspapers, magazines and books dealing with sports events, athletes, etc.
Mythology: A story that usually explains something about the world, and involves gods and other superhuman beings.
Poetry: Verse written to invoke thoughts and feelings in the reader. Devices such as rhythm and rhyme are often used to help convey the meaning.
Legend: A story coming down from the past and popularly regarded as historical (although it cannot be proved). The Legend of Paul Bunyan is an example.
How-to: A book or manual explaining how to do things like build a go-cart, make crafts, play a sport, etc.
