This document discusses different fiction genres including fantasy, science fiction, and realistic fiction. It provides details on the key elements of fantasy stories, such as magic, mythical creatures, and events that could not actually happen. Science fiction is described as focusing on special technology rather than magic. Examples are given of elements that indicate a story is fantasy or science fiction rather than realistic fiction.

1. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

2. Fantasy
Fantasy stories include magic, mythical
creatures, and things that just can’t happen in
everyday life

3. Fantasy
Fantasy stories can happen in the real world,
or in imaginary fantasy worlds

4. Fantasy
Even though fantasy stories include magic,
there are still rules…it’s important to pay
attention to the way that magic works in each
story

5. Which story is the fantasy?
The castle rose above the
hill. James trudged up the
road, eager to find out what
lay ahead. Soon, soon he
would learn all that there was
to being a knight. He would
start as a page, and then
become a squire, and then he
would become a knight.
But all of that was years in
the future. First, he had to
make it up that hill!
“Where is my
apprentice?” roared the
wizard.
A slim, small boy
appeared at the door.
“Yes, Master List?” he
asked.
“I need your help!”
exclaimed the wizard.
“The kingdom is being
threatened by a dragon. I
can stop it, but I need to
finish this potion.”
The boy sighed. It
would be a long, long day.

6. Fantasy
“Where is my
apprentice?” roared the
wizard.
A slim, small boy
appeared at the door.
“Yes, Master List?” he
asked.
“I need your help!”
exclaimed the wizard.
“The kingdom is being
threatened by a dragon. I
can stop it, but I need to
finish this potion.”
The boy sighed. It
would be a long, long day.
What details make this
a fantasy?

7. Fantasy
“Where is my
apprentice?” roared the
wizard.
A slim, small boy
appeared at the door.
“Yes, Master List?” he
asked.
“I need your help!”
exclaimed the wizard.
“The kingdom is being
threatened by a dragon. I
can stop it, but I need to
finish this potion.”
The boy sighed. It
would be a long, long day.
What details make this
a fantasy?

8. Fantasy
Be careful! Fantasy stories can sometimes
start out sounding like realistic fiction. Look
for the little details that point to fantasy.

9. Reading for Fantasy Details
Can you find the details that point to a fantasy?
Rachel walked up to her school. She had her
homework and her lunch. She was ready for
the day.
But then she stared at the entrance to the
school. Overnight, the regular metal doors
had transformed into a huge drawbridge. A
scaly green dragon coiled around the swing
set.

10. Reading for Fantasy Details
Can you find the details that point to a fantasy?
Rachel walked up to her school. She had her
homework and her lunch. She was ready for
the day.
But then she stared at the entrance to the
school. Overnight, the regular metal doors
had transformed into a huge drawbridge. A
scaly green dragon coiled around the swing
set.

11. Animal Fantasy
Stories which include talking animals are a
kind of fantasy called animal fantasy

12. Why should I care?
• Fantasy stories often show how even magic
can’t solve every problem
• Reading fantasy stories expands your
imagination and helps you to imagine other
worlds and other possibilities

13. What have you learned?
• How is fantasy different from realistic fiction?
• What fantasy stories have you read?

14. Fiction Genres
• Historical fiction
• Realistic fiction
• Fantasy
• Science fiction
• Mystery
• Folktales
• Genre hybrids

15. Science Fiction
• Like fantasy, science fiction includes details
and events that can’t happen in the real world
• Instead of magic, though, science fiction
focuses more on special technology

16. Science Fiction
In science fiction, look for:
 Time travel
 Unbelievable gadgets
 Aliens
 Space travel that doesn’t yet exist

17. Science Fiction
• Science fiction stories often explore how
technology affects people and changes our
lives
• Some stories show that amazing technology
still doesn’t make people happy
• Others show that some kinds of technology
can cause problems in the world

18. Science Fiction
Science fiction stories can happen in the past,
present, or future

19. What details show that this is science
fiction?
Topher pressed the button. Zoom! Zip! Suddenly he
was traveling up, up toward the sky. Wow! This was
not boring. Topher looked down toward his backyard.
It was getting smaller and smaller and smaller. He
looked up at the sky. The clouds were getting closer
and closer. Whoosh! He flew through a cloud. It felt
wet and slimy. But then things started getting darker.
He was leaving Earth’s atmosphere. Now he was in
space! Topher saw a gray green spaceship ahead. A
black door opened and he drifted through. Wow! This
was much, much better than playing with a flat soccer
ball.

20. What details show that this is science
fiction?
Topher pressed the button. Zoom! Zip! Suddenly he
was traveling up, up toward the sky. Wow! This was
not boring. Topher looked down toward his backyard.
It was getting smaller and smaller and smaller. He
looked up at the sky. The clouds were getting closer
and closer. Whoosh! He flew through a cloud. It felt
wet and slimy. But then things started getting darker.
He was leaving Earth’s atmosphere. Now he was in
space! Topher saw a gray green spaceship ahead. A
black door opened and he drifted through. Wow! This
was much, much better than playing with a flat soccer
ball.

21. What details show that this is science
fiction?
Topher pressed the button. Zoom! Zip! Suddenly he
was traveling up, up toward the sky. Wow! This was
not boring. Topher looked down toward his backyard.
It was getting smaller and smaller and smaller. He
looked up at the sky. The clouds were getting closer
and closer. Whoosh! He flew through a cloud. It felt
wet and slimy. But then things started getting darker.
He was leaving Earth’s atmosphere. Now he was in
space! Topher saw a gray green spaceship ahead. A
black door opened and he drifted through. Wow! This
was much, much better than playing with a flat soccer
ball.

22. Why should I care?
• Many people think that new technology is
always good—the newer and faster the better!
• Science fiction helps us to think about some of
the effects of new technology that may not be
as great for ourselves and our world

23. Test yourself!
Which genre includes real events that happened
in the past, along with details made up by the
author?
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

24. Test yourself!
Which genre includes real events that happened
in the past, along with details made up by the
author?
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

25. Test yourself!
You are reading a story about fifth graders who
create a school newspaper. You are probably
reading…
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

26. Test yourself!
You are reading a story about fifth graders who
create a school newspaper. You are probably
reading…
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

27. Test yourself!
You pick up a book from the library. It has a
castle and a unicorn on the cover. This book is
probably…
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy

28. Test yourself!
You pick up a book from the library. It has a
castle and a unicorn on the cover. This book is
probably…
A.Realistic fiction
B.Historical fiction
C.Science fiction
D.Fantasy