Why Contemporary Realistic Fiction?

Why is this genre important? 
(128-9 Children’s Literature Briefly)

• This genre is about “my life”, my world. Realistic fiction confirms our own membership in the human race.

• The importance of identifying with one’s own life is a reason children’s books have protagonists.

• Helps students develop empathy 

(128-9 Children’s Literature Briefly)

• “At its core, a good realistic fiction novel is about people, their problems, and their challenges...An author writing about a gang in an urban setting has a responsibility to use appropriate words, slang, phrases, and dialects.” --  Students can see that the problems they believe to be only plaguing them are actually more common and can help them come up with a solution. (http://www.education.com/reference/article/characteristics-good-realistic-fiction/)

Why do you need to be familiar with it as a teacher?

• It is considered the most popular genre, so being familiar with it will help when you suggest titles to students.

• It will help the relationship with students and teachers. Students go through all different situations and this genre introduces a bunch of similar situations to what they are dealing with. (Teaching children’s lit. in an era of standards p.288)

• It is relevant to current events.

• It helps connect students learning to standards. 
• By using activities like creating a timeline, character scrapbook, and letter/diary writing will satisfy standards and explore the elements of this genre. 

• Gives students the option of reading something that they can personally identify with will help them be more interested in the topic and in the process motivate them to read.

How can it be used in the classroom?

• This genre can be used in the classroom when reading a book that relates to the lives of the students.

• Explain how some things may seem like “they only happen to them,” but are actually very relatable.

• Can include various titles in your classroom library as independent reads or read alouds (depending on the content)

• Can be used to incorporate authentic literacy experiences into the classroom.

• Popular CRF authors include: Jerry Spinelli, Beverely Cleary, Judy Blume

Judy Blume