Library » Literary Genres

Literary Genres

  • Fable- Narration demonstrating a useful truth, especially in which animals speak as humans; legendary, supernatural tale

  • Fairy Tale-Story about magical creatures such as dragons and fairies, usually for children

  • Fantasy- Fiction with strange or other worldly settings or characters

  • Fiction-Narrative literary works whose content is produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact

  • Folklore- The songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a people or "folk" as handed down by word of mouth

  • Historical Fiction- Story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting

  • Horror- Fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread in both the characters and the reader

  • Humor-Fiction full of fun, fancy and excitment, meant to entertain; but can be contained in all genres

  • Mystery- Fiction dealing with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets

  • Mythology- Legend of traditional narrative, often based in part on historical events, that reveals human behavior and natural phenomena by its symbolism; often pertaining to the action of the gods

  • Poetry- Verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that creates emotional responses

  • Realistic Fiction- Story that can actually happen and is true to life

  • Science Fiction- Story based on impact of actual, imagined, or potential science, usually set in the future or on other planets

  • Biography- Narrative of a person's life, a true story about a real person written by someone else

  • Autobiography- Narrative of a person's life, a true story about a real person and written by that same person

  • Nonfiction- Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject