The document discusses the genre of realistic fiction in children's literature. It provides definitions and explanations of realistic fiction, noting that realistic fiction stories could actually happen and depict real issues faced by children. The summary also outlines the key elements of realistic fiction stories, including introduction/background, setting, characterization, conflict, plot, theme, point of view, imagery, figurative language, and authorial tone. Realistic fiction is described as stories about real children in real worlds facing real problems.

1. ELE 616 Research in
Children’s Literature
Fall 2012
Realistic
Fiction
… and mice

2. There was a mouse . . .
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3. What makes a book
realistic?
• What is realistic fiction?
– Realistic fiction refers to stories that could indeed
happen to peole and animals; that is, it is within the
realm of possibility that such events could occur or
could have occurred.
– These types of books cover a lot of different, realistic
issues such as divorce, growing up, being poor,
having disabilities or dealing with drug and alcohol
abuse. Survival and adventure stories, mysteries
and romance stories also are considered realistic
fiction.
– A GUIDE TO COOL BOOKS for middle school aged kids
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4. How would one define realistic
children’s fiction?
• What sets it apart from fantasy or science
fiction or mystery?
– What makes it so important to its readers?
Perhaps the biggest drawing card for children
with realistic fiction is that they are able to see
themselves or people like themselves in the
stories. It is as if the stories are mirrors into
which they look -- and that is just what realistic
fiction is --reflections of the child’s reality.
• Rochelle, W. (1991). A sense of responsibility in
realistic children's fiction. Emergency Librarian,
18(5), 8.
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5. A definition of the genre?
• Definition:
– Realistic fiction, although untrue, could
actually happen. Some events, people, and
places may even be real.
• Realistic Fiction
5

6. Realistic Fiction
• Brought to you by Miss Allen’s Fifth Graders
– Realistic fiction is simply stated as real kids with real
problems solved in a realistic manner in a real world setting.
If a story is excellent, it has more than one great
characteristic. Therefore, realistic stories can and often do
have humor, a sense of adventure, perhaps even danger.
• Real kids
• Real problems
• Real settings
This is no longer
• Real solutions available on the web
• Real humor
• Real adventure or danger
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7. Realistic Fiction
• In good realistic fiction,
– the characters are engaging and believable.
– the dialogue is believable.
– the plot is fresh and original.
– the setting is true to life.
– the problems faced by the characters
are honestly portrayed.
– the resolution makes sense.
– the theme grows naturally out of the action and
characters - the writer does not preach at us.
• Children's Literature. Instructor: Chi-Fen Emily Chen
Department of English, National Kaohsiung First University
of Science and Technology, Taiwan
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8. Elements of realistic fiction 1
• Introduction
– is where the author builds the story’s
background. This is where the reader learns
about the setting, the characters, and the story’s
conflict, and perhaps what took place before the
story begins.
• Setting
– is where and when the story takes place:
location, season, weather, and time period
(Tompkins, 1994). Setting is important to the
plot, the characters, the characters’ problems,
and the theme.
• Teaching realistic fiction, Chap. 1. From Reading and Writing
Literary Genres. © 2000 International Reading Association.
8

9. Elements of realistic fiction 2
• Characterization
– allows the reader to learn about what characters
look like, what they say, what others say about
them, and what they do (Lukens, 1999). Characters
seem real because their actions and dialogue are
believable. As readers, we often can identify with
these characters because they are like our friends
or ourselves.
• Conflict
– in realistic fiction is defined by the type of problem
in the story. Conflict is the tension that exists
between the forces in the character’s life.
• Teaching realistic fiction
9

10. Elements of realistic fiction 3
• Plot
– is what happens in the story. . . . The plot in
realistic fiction must be believable or possible and
easily understood, fast-paced and moving toward
resolving the conflict. Two types of plots found in
realistic fiction are the progressive and the episodic
plots.
• Theme,
– according to Lukens (1999), is “the idea that holds
the story together,…the central meaning of a piece
of writing.” (p. 135)
• Teaching realistic fiction
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11. Elements of realistic fiction 4
• Point of view
– is the perspective of the storyteller. When a story is
written from the first-person point of view, the main
character usually tells the story and uses the word
“I.”
– When a story is written from the third-person point
of view, the person telling the story is a central
observer who knows all (omniscient) and can
recount details, actions, thoughts, and feelings of the
characters (conscious and unconscious).
• Teaching realistic fiction
11

12. Elements of realistic fiction 5
• Imagery
– refers to the author’s choice of descriptive words
and phrases that help readers form a mental
picture of settings, characters, and events, thus
keeping readers fully involved in the story.
• Figurative language,
– including similes and metaphors, is used in
realistic fiction to enhance imagery. Similes are
comparisons that make use of “like” or “as.” A
metaphor compares two unlike things directly
without using like or as.
• Teaching realistic fiction
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13. Elements of realistic fiction 6
• Author’s intent or tone
– relates to how the author wants readers to feel as
we read the book. An author can intend the
story to be humorous, sad, serious, slapstick, or
any combination of these throughout the story,
and will use sentence structure, word choices,
patterns and arrangements to communicate and
set the story’s tone (Lukens, 1999).
• Teaching realistic fiction
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14. Literature Genres:
Realistic Fiction
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15. • By the title alone, we know
that Bridge to Terabithia
will involve some type of
bridge. But in this book the
bridge isn’t just physical.
The bridge that Jesse
Aarons and Leslie Burke
(the main characters) need
to cross isn’t only about
geography.
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16. Another realistic mouse
title
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