LIS 617 Children's Literature Log

Adventure books usually follow a character who is on a mission or a journey that involves overcoming challenges. There is often great risk involved and the character typically experiences a lot of personal growth throughout the story. 

A biography is a detailed account of a person's life that is written by someone else. These stories are aimed at presenting the most factual information possible about that person. 

Classic children's books are timeless stories that have captured the imaginations of generations, often featuring universal themes, relatable characters, and enduring lessons. These books stand the test of time, continuing to engage and teach young readers through generations with their charm, simplicity, and heart. 

Concept books are used to introduce/teach basic concepts to children. These concepts are often things like ABCs, Shapes, Numbers, and Colors. 

A fable is a story that is often depicted from animals that act and speak like humans. These stories are usually short and simple, but deliver an important moral to take away.

Fairy Tales are traditional stories that have often been passed down orally through time. These stories usually feature magical elements such as  as fairies, unicorns, castles, forests, and special powers. 

Fantasy is a genre that immerses readers in fantastical worlds, sometimes set in the past and sometimes set in the present. Often, there are talking animals, otherworldly places, and exciting adventures that take place. Readers find themselves in awe at the magic that happens when they enjoy this genre.

Graphic novels are a type of book that uses text and sequential art to tell a story. Graphic novels are typically longer than comic books and are usually stand alone stories as opposed to comics which typically run in a series. Graphic novels use dialogue bubbles and narration boxes to help move the plot along.

Historical fiction is a genre of literature where the story is set in the past and includes real historical events, settings, or figures. While the main characters and plot are fictional, the details reflect the time period accurately to help readers understand what life was like during that era. 

Horror in children’s literature is a genre that uses spooky settings, creepy characters, and suspense to create an exciting, safe scare. It engages readers’ imaginations and offers teachers a way to explore fear, courage, and storytelling in an age-appropriate way.

Humor in children’s literature is a genre that uses funny language, silly situations, and playful characters to make readers laugh and feel joy. These stories help kids connect with reading by making it fun, light-hearted, and entertaining. 

A hybrid children’s book is one that combines a picture book and graphic novel is a book that tells a story using both big, colorful pictures like a picture book and comic-style panels with speech bubbles like a graphic novel. 

Informational books are designed to inform readers about a real-world topic, event, or concept. These books present factual information to readers in all types of areas. 

Interactive books go beyond typical reading by offering an interactive experience for the audience. These books often seem to be "speaking to the reader" and can have buttons, puzzles, games, and other interactive elements. 

Multicultural literature in children's literature includes books that reflect the diverse cultures, identities, and experiences of people from around the world. It helps students see themselves and others in the stories they read, promoting empathy, inclusion, and a deeper understanding of different perspectives. 

Mystery stories centers around a puzzling event or crime that needs to be solved. Readers follow along as characters gather clues and work toward uncovering the solution, often making their own guesses along the way. 

Picture books are simple, illustrated reads that are best for ages 2-7. Picture books are best for early readers who benefit from pictures that work in a symbiotic relationship with the text. Beautiful illustrations help readers feel immersed and informed during storytime.

Poems are rhythmic, artistic expressions of inspiration and deep emotions that are often displayed using a rhyme scheme or in free verse, depending on the poem's purpose. They often sprawl across the page in a meaningful way, eliciting a strong response from the reader. There are different types of poems, ranging from short poems, like haikus, to longer poems, like ballads.

Children's realistic fiction is a genre of books written for children that tells stories set in the present or recent past, featuring characters—usually children or preteens—who face real-life problems, experiences, and emotions. These stories reflect issues that young readers can relate to, such as friendship, school, family, growing up, and personal challenges.

 Stories that imagine the future, space adventures, advanced technology, or strange worlds. These stories often include things like robots, aliens, time travel, or new inventions that don’t exist yet. 

Social justice books focus on pivotal issues society that affect different people groups differently. Social justice books typically elicit themes like change, hope, and togetherness. These books often focus on bettering the world so that everyone can experience an equitable society.

Type of story where the plot focuses on sports, athletes, or competition. These books usually follow a main character who plays a sport like baseball, basketball, soccer, or football. The story includes exciting game action, but it also shows how the character learns important life lessons, such as teamwork, perseverance, honesty, and dealing with pressure. 

Story collections are books that gathers multiple short stories or novellas by a single author. These stories may or may not share common themes, settings, or characters, but they are all compiled within one volume. This is distinct from an anthology, which contains stories from multiple authors. 

In literature, storytelling is the art of crafting and conveying narratives through written or spoken words. It involves constructing a sequence of events, often involving characters and a plot, with the purpose of engaging the audience's imagination and conveying meaning. This can be for entertainment, information, or educational purposes. 

Tall Tales are humorous, exaggerated stories about a hero with superhuman abilities. These stories often feature fantastical elements and unbelievable events, told as if they were true. The purpose is to entertain through the character's extraordinary feats and the story's over-the-top nature.