A vibrant collage of fiction genres: astronaut in spaceship for sci-fi, knight in castle for historical, family dinner for realistic, wizard battling dragon for fantasy

Interactive LessonGrades 3-5

Genre and Subgenre Lesson

Skill: Genre and Subgenre

This lesson explains the five major literary genres — fiction, nonfiction, folklore, drama, and poetry — and then dives into some of the subgenres. Students learn to identify and distinguish subgenres like science fiction, mystery, historical fiction, biography, autobiography, informational text, fable, fairy tale, myth, legend, and tall tale. After the lesson, students practice classifying a variety of texts by genre and subgenre. Available at three reading levels for grades 3–12.

Genre

Genre = Category

Subgenre
Subgenre = Category within a category
Example
A BANANA → is a FOOD → is a FRUIT.
Harry Potter → is FICTION → is FANTASY.

Genre Overview

The 5 Main Genres

Fiction - Creative or imaginative writing; made up.
Nonfiction - Writing that is true or factual.
Folklore - Stories once passed down orally (by word of mouth).
Drama - A play or script.
Poetry - Writing that is concerned with the beauty of language.
Let's look at each of these more closely...

Subgenres of Fiction

An Overview

Realistic Fiction
Historical Fiction
Science Fiction
Fantasy
Let's look at each of these a little closer.

Realistic Fiction

Stories that could be true but aren't.

Key Clues
Everyday settings, relatable problems, no magic/aliens/historical anchors.
Examples
The Missing Blue Binder by Elena Cruz
Leo lost his binder. Now he needs to find it before the final bell rings or he may fail science class.
Bench Warmer by Corey Fukuda
Marcus loses his spot on the basketball team. He wants to get it back, but first he has to admit that he needs to practice more.

Historical Fiction

A made-up story set around a real event or person from history

Key Clues
Specific dates or eras and real wars or events from the past.
Examples
Letters to Kevin by Anika Brown
Billy's older brother Kevin was drafted to fight in the war in Vietnam. Billy was counting on Kevin to teach him to pitch. Now he doesn't know when he will ever see Kevin again. And the only way the two brothers can stay connected is by writing letters.
One Window Seat by June Collins
The year is 1955. A boy named Caleb is taking the bus home. He watches as a brave woman named Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat. Soon Caleb finds himself right in the middle of some important events.

Science Fiction

Has aliens, advanced technology, or is set in outer space or the future

Key Clues
Futuristic dates, space travel, alien species, and advanced technology
Examples
The Red Dust Rescue by Mia Hart
In 2145, Tori lives on Mars. When a dust storm breaks the station’s life support system, she and her helper robot must fix it before everyone runs out of clean air.
The Robot Who Forgot by Amy Cho
In the year 2350, a small robot named Blix wakes up in a junkyard. He can't remember who built him. He only knows one thing: he has to get back to the space station before it leaves without him.

Fantasy

Has monsters, magic, or characters with superpowers

Key Clues
Spells, dragons, monsters, or magical realms
Examples
The Moonlight Map by Kara Wynn
Lena finds a map that glows at night and leads her to a forest where trees whisper and a fox can talk. To save the woods, she must return a stolen spell book before dawn.
The Girl with Glass Wings by Petra Nolan
Suki finds out she can fly on her tenth birthday. Her wings are clear like glass, and only she can see them. But when a shadowy creature starts stealing the town's colors, Suki might be the only one who can stop it.

Subgenres of Nonfiction

An Overview

Informational Writing
Persuasive Writing
Autobiography
Biography
Let's look at each of these a little more closely.

Informational Writing

Gives facts, explains, teaches

Key Clues
Textbooks, cookbooks, how-to guides, reference materials; explains, describes, or teaches something
Examples
Beavers at Work by Dr. Howard Cole
This book teaches how beavers build dams in the water. It includes real photos and facts.
101 Soups by Nora Sanders
This text teaches readers how to make over one hundred unique soups. Learn to make French onion, chicken noodle, vegetable, and more!

Persuasive Writing

Tries to influence or convince the reader

Key Clues
Argues, tries to convince, uses words like "should" or "must," asks readers to take action
Examples
Make Recess Longer by Jenna Brooks
Jenna says kids should have more recess. She argues that physical movement helps kids learn. She ends the essay by asking readers to sign her petition.
We Need a School Garden by Lily Sandoval
Lily thinks that her school should build a garden. She gives three reasons why it would help students learn. Then she asks readers to sign up to help plant the first seeds.

Autobiography

One's life story written by oneself

Root Words
AUTO = self | BIO = life | GRAPHY = writing
Examples
A Tale of Two Kitchens by Rosa Herrera
Rosa Herrera tells the true story of her own life. "I grew up cooking in two kitchens," she writes. She tells readers about how she learned recipes from both of her grandmothers.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
This book is a true story from Anne's own diary. Anne was a young Jewish girl hiding from the Nazis during World War II. She wrote about her family, her fears, and her hope for a better future.

Biography

A person’s life story written by someone else

Root Words
BIO = life | GRAPHY = writing
Examples
The General Who Became President by Karen Whitmore
This book, written by Karen Whitmore, tells the true story of George Washington. He led the American army during the Revolutionary War. Then he became the first president of the United States.
The Apple Tree Moment: The Isaac Newton Story by Brian Holloway
This book, written by Brian Holloway, is about Isaac Newton's life. Newton was a curious boy who loved to figure out how things worked. He grew up to discover some of the biggest ideas in science, like why things fall to the ground instead of floating away.

Folklore

Stories passed down by telling and retelling

Part of the oral tradition
Usually teach a lesson or explain something
"RETOLD BY," "ADAPTED BY," and "UNKNOWN"

A family clan huddled by a campfire under starry skies, grandfather recounting a tale to grandchildren and relatives, dramatic shadows from flames highlighting intent faces and woven blankets.

Subgenres of Folklore

An Overview

Fable
Fairy Tale
Tall Tale
Legend
Myth
Let's look at each of these a little more closely.

Fable

Very short story with talking animals and a clearly stated moral

Key Clues
Very short; animals act and speak like humans; ends with a clearly stated lesson
Examples
The Tortoise and the Hare retold by Nina Solis
A Hare makes fun of a Tortoise and challenges him to a race. The Hare runs ahead fast, then decides to take a nap because he is so far ahead. The Tortoise keeps walking at a steady pace. Eventually, the Tortoise crosses the finish line first. Slow and steady wins the race.
The Ant and the Grasshopper retold by Marcus Adler
All summer, the Ant works hard storing food. The Grasshopper just sings and plays. When winter comes, the Ant has plenty to eat. The Grasshopper has nothing. Prepare today for the needs of tomorrow.

Fairy Tale

Has magic, monsters, and/or talking animals

Key Clues
“Once upon a time,” human main character, magic and monsters
Examples
Goldilocks and the Three Bears retold by Catherine Marsh
Once upon a time, a girl named Goldilocks walks into a house in the woods. No one is home. She eats some porridge, sits in some chairs, and falls asleep in a little bed. When the three bears who live there come back, they find her and she runs away.
Cinderella adapted by Rosa Vidal
Once upon a time, a girl named Cinderella was living with her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. They made Cinderella do all the work and never let her have any fun. One night, a fairy uses magic to give Cinderella a fancy dress and glass slippers. Cinderella goes to the prince's ball. At midnight, the magic wears off and she runs home. The prince finds her glass slipper. He uses this to find her. They live happily ever after.

Tall Tale

Funny stories set in the Wild West where the main character's size or skill is greatly exaggerated

Key Clues
American frontier setting and humorous exaggeration
Examples
Paul Bunyan and the Great Lakes retold by Gerald Hawkins
Paul Bunyan was the biggest, strongest lumberjack who ever lived. He was so strong that he could pull a river straight. Paul once dragged an entire forest out of the ground to clear a path to his camp. He was so large that his footprints filled with rainwater and became lakes. Many people believe that is how the Great Lakes were formed.
Pecos Bill and the Tornado retold by Donna Whitfield
Pecos Bill was the toughest cowboy in the whole Wild West. He was raised by coyotes and could ride anything with legs, or without. One day, a giant tornado tore across Texas. Bill jumped on it like a bucking bronco and rode it all the way to California.

Legend

A story based on a real person or place that might be true but is exaggerated

Key Clues
Based on a real figure, facts stretched beyond nonfiction, tone is serious
Examples
300 retold by Anton Christou
Leonidas the king of Sparta led 300 soldiers to block a giant Persian army. The Persians had hundreds of thousands of men. But Leonidas and his 300 soldiers would not move. They fought for days in a narrow mountain pass. The size of the Persian army meant nothing in this narrow pass. Leonidas and his men cut down tens of thousands of Persians. This small force saved Sparta.
Robin Hood and the Silver Arrow adapted by Margaret Ashford
People say that a man named Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest long ago. He was the best archer anyone had ever seen. He stole money from rich people and gave it to the poor. The Sheriff of Nottingham tried to catch him many times, but Robin always got away. No one knows for sure if Robin Hood was a real person, but the forest is real.

Myth

Has gods and goddesses; may explain the creation of something

Key Clues
Gods/goddesses, origin/creation explanations, ancient cultures
Examples
Persephone and the Seasons adapted by Daniel Okoro
The Greek goddess Demeter loved her daughter Persephone more than anything. One day, the god of the underworld stole Persephone. Demeter was so sad that she made all the plants stop growing. The other gods came together and made a deal. Persephone was allowed to come home for part of the year. While she is home, Demeter is happy and plants grow. When she leaves, winter comes. That is how the Greeks explained the seasons.
Ra and the First Morning retold by Farah Sayed
The ancient Egyptians believed that in the beginning, there was only dark water everywhere. Then the great god Ra rose up out of the water. He was so bright that light filled the sky for the first time. Ra spoke the names of things, and they became real. He said "earth," and there was earth. He said "sky," and there was sky. That is how the ancient Egyptians believed the world began.

Drama

Stories written in script form; meant to be performed

Key Clues
Looks like a script: character names followed by lines.
Examples
Juliet: O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Hamlet: To be, or not to be: that is the question

Subgenres of Drama

Comedies and Tragedies

Comedies
Things go poorly for most of the story but it ends happily.
Tragedies
Things go well for most of the story but it ends terribly.
Comedies = Weddings | Tragedies = Funerals

Poetry

Writing that is concerned with the beauty of language

There are many subgenres of poetry.
Forms: haikus or sonnets
Techniques: rhyming or rhythm
Poetry is a main literary genre.

Commonly Confused Subgenres

Some Tips and Tricks

Fairy tale and Fantasy
Fable and Fairy Tale - Look at the ending
Tall Tale and Legend - Consider the tone
Legend and Historical Fiction - Look at the author
Biography and Autobiography - Look at the author
Science Fiction and Fantasy - Look at the setting

In Review

There are 5 main genres.
Identify the main genre first, then look for clues to identify the subgenre.
Look at the author credit line!