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[CCBC-Net] Fantastic Fiction / Defining fantasy
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From: JuneCL at aol.com <JuneCL>
Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 19:05:19 EDT
When I was a school librarian, I found the genre definitions in Rebecca Lukens's A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature very useful for myself, my teachers and my students. At one point I used her definitions as a framework for booktalking, and it worked well. She has a handy chart, which subdivides the fantasy genre into Fantastic Stories (The Borrowers, Charlotte's Web), High Fantasy (Hero and the Crown, The Hobbit) and Science Fiction (The House of Stairs.) For each, she describes the elements of character, plot, setting, theme, point of view, style, and tone. Time travel isn't specifically mentioned. But, as she says and we know, "Genres are not always clear-cut and easily distinguished; the terms are often used loosely."
Titles that haven't been mentioned that were well-liked by my former students include Ibbotson's The Secret of Platform 13 and Avi's Bright Shadow on the easier side, and Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Haddix's Running Out of Time (time travel), Farmer's Ear, the Eye and the Arm, and Tamara Pierce on the harder end. Some students had read a great deal of fantasy, but were well served by older titles, such as Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (and sequels), a book that I really like, Brandel's Mine of Lost Days (time travel), and Alexander's Prydian Chronicles.
June Locke Ithaca, NY
In a message dated 5/6/06 3:04:08 PM, mhenderson at wnpl.info writes:
> Whenever I think about the fantasy genre, I often become bogged down in
> trying to clearly define what books fall into this category. For
> example, what about books that are quite realistic, except that that
> main characters are talking animals? For example, Michael Hoeye's Hermux
> Tantamoq series seems more like a classic adventure story with Linka,
> the daring aviatrix; Tucka, the dangerous cosmetics tycoon; and Hermux,
> who just wants to focus on his timepieces (and Linka). Okay, so they're
> animals that live in a very human society, but that's the only
> fantastical element...does it still count as a fantasy?
>
> Similarly, there are the time travel books that are fantastical only in
> the method of transportation. Dan Gutman's baseball card adventures, Jon
> Scieszka's Time Warp Trio, and Maya Williams' "The Golden Hour" all
> focus heavily on the historical fiction, with a bit of fantasy thrown in
> to get the kids back in time. I have to admit that I've recommended all
> of these to kids who had to read fantasy and either didn't like the
> genre, only read sports books, or are looking for a short fantasy for
> their monthly genre book report. Was I stretching the genre too far?
>
> And what about the Alex Ryder series? This books seem quite fantastical,
> but they seem to be categorized more as adventure than fantasy.
>
> What are your thoughts on the titles above and where to lump them?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Melissa Henderson
> Children's Librarian
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> [mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Kathleen
> Horning
> Sent: Friday, May 05, 2006 1:11 PM
> To: Subscribers of ccbc-net
> Subject: [CCBC-Net] Fantastic Fiction: New Fantasy Literature
>
>
> It's time to begin our CCBC-Net discussion for the first two weeks of
> April: New Fantasy books for Children and Teens
>
> Are you feeling overwhelmed by new fantasy trilogies? Burdened by yet
> another book to read about an apprentice in some far-off or far-out
> land? It's hard not to notice the explosion in new fantasy offerings,
> which range from mundane to marvelous. Among the many new works of
> fantasy published in recent years for children and teens, what are the
> fantasy books*stand alone title, trilogy, or ongoing series*that really
> stand out to you and the young readers in your lives?
>
> Kathleen T. Horning, Director
> Cooperative Children's Book Center
> University of Wisconsin-School of Education
> 4290 Helen C. White Hall
> 600 North Park St.
> Madison, WI 53706
>
> horning at education.wisc.edu
> Voice: 608-263-3721
> Fax: 608-262-4933
> www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
Received on Sat 06 May 2006 06:05:19 PM CDT
Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 19:05:19 EDT
When I was a school librarian, I found the genre definitions in Rebecca Lukens's A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature very useful for myself, my teachers and my students. At one point I used her definitions as a framework for booktalking, and it worked well. She has a handy chart, which subdivides the fantasy genre into Fantastic Stories (The Borrowers, Charlotte's Web), High Fantasy (Hero and the Crown, The Hobbit) and Science Fiction (The House of Stairs.) For each, she describes the elements of character, plot, setting, theme, point of view, style, and tone. Time travel isn't specifically mentioned. But, as she says and we know, "Genres are not always clear-cut and easily distinguished; the terms are often used loosely."
Titles that haven't been mentioned that were well-liked by my former students include Ibbotson's The Secret of Platform 13 and Avi's Bright Shadow on the easier side, and Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Haddix's Running Out of Time (time travel), Farmer's Ear, the Eye and the Arm, and Tamara Pierce on the harder end. Some students had read a great deal of fantasy, but were well served by older titles, such as Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (and sequels), a book that I really like, Brandel's Mine of Lost Days (time travel), and Alexander's Prydian Chronicles.
June Locke Ithaca, NY
In a message dated 5/6/06 3:04:08 PM, mhenderson at wnpl.info writes:
> Whenever I think about the fantasy genre, I often become bogged down in
> trying to clearly define what books fall into this category. For
> example, what about books that are quite realistic, except that that
> main characters are talking animals? For example, Michael Hoeye's Hermux
> Tantamoq series seems more like a classic adventure story with Linka,
> the daring aviatrix; Tucka, the dangerous cosmetics tycoon; and Hermux,
> who just wants to focus on his timepieces (and Linka). Okay, so they're
> animals that live in a very human society, but that's the only
> fantastical element...does it still count as a fantasy?
>
> Similarly, there are the time travel books that are fantastical only in
> the method of transportation. Dan Gutman's baseball card adventures, Jon
> Scieszka's Time Warp Trio, and Maya Williams' "The Golden Hour" all
> focus heavily on the historical fiction, with a bit of fantasy thrown in
> to get the kids back in time. I have to admit that I've recommended all
> of these to kids who had to read fantasy and either didn't like the
> genre, only read sports books, or are looking for a short fantasy for
> their monthly genre book report. Was I stretching the genre too far?
>
> And what about the Alex Ryder series? This books seem quite fantastical,
> but they seem to be categorized more as adventure than fantasy.
>
> What are your thoughts on the titles above and where to lump them?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Melissa Henderson
> Children's Librarian
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> [mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Kathleen
> Horning
> Sent: Friday, May 05, 2006 1:11 PM
> To: Subscribers of ccbc-net
> Subject: [CCBC-Net] Fantastic Fiction: New Fantasy Literature
>
>
> It's time to begin our CCBC-Net discussion for the first two weeks of
> April: New Fantasy books for Children and Teens
>
> Are you feeling overwhelmed by new fantasy trilogies? Burdened by yet
> another book to read about an apprentice in some far-off or far-out
> land? It's hard not to notice the explosion in new fantasy offerings,
> which range from mundane to marvelous. Among the many new works of
> fantasy published in recent years for children and teens, what are the
> fantasy books*stand alone title, trilogy, or ongoing series*that really
> stand out to you and the young readers in your lives?
>
> Kathleen T. Horning, Director
> Cooperative Children's Book Center
> University of Wisconsin-School of Education
> 4290 Helen C. White Hall
> 600 North Park St.
> Madison, WI 53706
>
> horning at education.wisc.edu
> Voice: 608-263-3721
> Fax: 608-262-4933
> www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
Received on Sat 06 May 2006 06:05:19 PM CDT
