And since I am planning to also write book reviews, since I am fond of reading books, I realized that I should start by understanding the type of book I will be reading. So I researched. And here's what I found out:
FOLKTALES
- includes stories, myths, and fables that people told orally which were later written down
- also called traditional tales
- contains story elements: characterization, point of view, setting, mood, theme, plot, conclusion
- may have "fantastic creatures" and magic (fairy, giant, witch, wizard)
- starts off with "once upon a time"
- ends with "and they lived happily ever after"
- story may deal with the struggles or quest of a hero or heroine
- events may occur in groups of 3 or 7
- contrast is a technique to show the difference between good and bad
- can be a cumulative tale with a pattern or chant that is repeated
- there is a flow of words
- call number is 398.2
BIOGRAPHY
- offers details of another person's life and contributes to a better understanding of that person and his or her effect on society
- concerned with people who have made significant contributions in a wide range of areas such as sports, literature, entertainment, government, and the arts
- can be inspiring especially to set personal goals
- can provide insights into different cultures and races
- although the emphasis is on authentic facts, authors have the freedom to dramatize certain events
- are sometimes "unauthorized"
MYSTERY
- includes thrillers, whodunits, crime fiction, and detective stories
- may have realistic portrayal of police methods in solving a crime
- keeps readers in suspense
- there are unknown facts and clues to be discovered
- solution is usually satisfying
POETRY
- includes a distinctive use of words which are carefully selected to convey beautiful sounds and images, as well as meaning
- appeals to the senses and the emotions
- like pictures, conveys different meaning to different people
- includes nursery rhymes which have a singing quality
- can have rhythm, rhyme, sound patterns, imagery, figurative language (such as simile, metaphor), and repetitions
- can take on many different forms such as limerick, haiku, couplet, cinquain, bio-poem, clerihew, diamonte, and free verse
HISTORICAL FICTION
- is a realistic story set in the past
- allows readers to experience past events
- one type uses fictional characters but does not refer to any known people or to any recorded historical event
- another type involves actual people and recorded events
- allows readers to gain an understanding of their heritage and the values and beliefs of the people who lived before them
SCIENCE FICTION
- can be considered a kind of fantasy
- scientific laws or principles are stressed
- setting is often another place and time
- details contain many scientific truths and possibilities
- conflict and solution rely on scientific content
- allows hypothesizing about the future by imagining that certain events, conditions, or findings exist
- points out how the past and present affect the future
- explores human relationships, conflict, and solutions to problems and fears
REALISTIC FICTION
- deals with all aspects of life
- although fictitious, setting (time and place) is believable
- contains believable characters who are involved in situations that could really happen
- allows readers to identify with the characters
- may focus on everyday problems such as family issues, interpersonal problems, handicaps, aging, death, nontraditional lifestyles, and growing up
FANTASY
- includes talking beasts, underground kingdoms, secret immortality, mysterious wizards
- allows readers to explore the past, the future, and worlds that coexist in the present
- takes on many forms, such as stories of enchantment, humorous tales, stories in which animals and toys are personified (act as people), and science fiction tales
- blends fantastic with realistic detail
- theme is quite often serious, involving social and political issues, or universal, such as human values, emotion, and motivation
- common themes include battle between good and evil, greed versus unselfishness, and meaning of life and death
NONFICTION or INFORMATIONAL
- provides accurate, up-to-date, significant facts on a variety of subjects (such as science, technology, health, art, sports, geography, history)
- allows readers to broaden their knowledge
- provides instructions to accomplish new tasks
- relevancy, objectivity, and accuracy can be analyzed
It helps that I understand these things... See, I just found out that I am mostly into realistic fiction. haha! How about you, what's your favorite?
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