Literature Genres

A story that parents have passed down to their children through speech over many generations.

• Tall Tale

• Legend

• Folktale

• Myth

A story that takes place in a particular time period in the past. Often the setting is real, but the characters are made up from the author's imagination.

• Autobiography

• Biography

• Historical Fiction

• Realistic Fiction

A story intended to frighten, scare, disgust, or startle by inducing feelings of terror.

• Humor

• Dystopian

• Realistic Fiction

• Horror

A story that intends to induce amusement or laughter and brings to light the funny side of life.

• Humor

• Fantasy

• Realistic Fiction

• Horror

A story from the past that is believed by many people but cannot be proved to be true.

• Fable

• Myth

• Historical Fiction

• Legend

A suspenseful story about a puzzling event that is not solved until the end of the story.

• Realistic Fiction

• Myth

• Mystery

• Tall Tale

A story from an ancient culture that told about the actions of the gods to explain a practice, belief, or natural occurrence.

• Legend

• Myth

• Fable

• Tall Tale

A verse written to create a response of thought and feeling from the reader, using rhythm and rhyme to help convey its meaning.

• Mystery

• Memoir

• Realistic Fiction

• Poetry

A story that uses made-up characters that could actually happen in life.

• Realistic Fiction

• Memoir

• Historical Fiction

• Poetry

A story with elements that are impossible and uses science and technology such robots, time machines, etc.

• Fantasy

• Dystopian

• Science Fiction

• Fairy Tale