YA Lit Textbook ch 11 review

Ch 11 Realistic Fiction

Realistic fiction consists of stories that are written with a setting of modern times or the contemporary world.  The actions of the characters are believable and events seem real. This type of writing is sometimes called Modern Realistic Fiction.  

When evaluating this type of writing, a media specialist/librarian should look at consistency with the world in which the reader lives.  All elements in the characters life should seem like those that a real person would exhibit, from speech, actions/behavior, setting, to even the types of situations they are confronted with.  Ensuring that the text avoids stereotypes and support gender and cultural elements that are relevant for contemporary readers should also be accounted for. 

Theme is something that this type of fiction offers, in fact there may be several themes.  The theme of this story should develop naturally, and avoid being of obvious teaching a lesson.  Going back to the elements, the subject matter of the things that the characters deal with in the story have to be of things that modern readers want to read about. We have to use books as windows and mirrors to our readers lives. A reader may be able to learn how to cope with the newfound knowledge that not everyone has two moms, or may be curious about ways that others deal with loss in their lives.  Taboo subjects to previous generations, are now subject matter to modern readers.

Take Aways

Realistic fiction books should be a reader having a conversation with a friend, sharing things and stories that happened to the characters should seem real and set in this world.  Authors should avoid stereotypes whenever possible and consider gender and cultural elements. A book that offers a variety of themes will be able to “reach” and make an impact on  a larger audience. This type of book lends itself to be read by a variety of readers with different lives and all be impacted by the book in a different way than the previous or next reader.  It is also important that we allow readers to use books as mirrors and windows to their worlds. Students should read books that allow them to find ways to cope with tough topics, ways that allow them to learn about sensitive ideas/topics.  Students may be able to avoid big issues if they are able to see how characters in books deal with things. I believe that when given the right book, YA readers really enjoy this type of books. They are old enough to know it is a work of fiction, but mature enough to know that the situations and aspects of the book could happen to someone in real life.  After reading books such as Lily and Dunkin, I can attest that this title would be considered Realistic Fiction. Lily and Dunkin shows how one character is dealing with coming out to their classmates, and the other character is dealing with being the new kid in town, an absent father (I won’t tell too much), and mental illness.