Magical Realism, Fantasy, & Mystery
English I Independent Reading
MAGICAL REALISM
- set in the realistic modern world
- examples of magical elements: levitation, flight, mind-reading, living beyond human lifespan, witch-like abilities, unexplained time travel (no machine)
- magic is unexplained--it "just is."
- examples from children's literature: Holes by Louis Sachar and Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
IDEAS FOR YA MAGICAL REALISM BOOKS
LINKS TO LISTS FOR MAGICAL REALISM IDEAS
FANTASY
- set in "fantastic" world, or exists parallel to our modern world
- characters may not be human, or may interact with nonhumans (giants, monsters, elves, fairies, etc).
- depends on magic, folklore, and mythology
- does not depend upon science to explain the impossible: that's the difference between fantasy and science fiction
- examples from children's literature: the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
IDEAS FOR YA FANTASY BOOKS
LINKS TO LISTS OF YA FANTASY BOOKS
MYSTERY
- realistic setting, may be modern or historical
- centers on the solving of a mystery, typically a suspenseful mystery where the characters are in danger
- crime mysteries solve murders, thefts, kidnappings, and other various crimes
- detective mysteries feature a character with great powers of observation that all allow him or her to make connections others cannot. Ex: Sherlock Holmes
- examples from children's literature: the Nancy Drewseries, the Cam Jansen series by David A. Adler andA to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy.
Ideas for YA Mystery Books
LINKS TO LISTS OF MORE YA MYSTERIES
WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY FOR CHECK OUT?
- You can check out what Mrs. Turner has read and reviewed by going to her book blog. Select subjects from the right hand side to narrow down the choices. Subjects on the blog which may include titles considered magical realism, fantasy, or mystery include dragons, fairies, fantasy, magic, mystery, supernatural, witches, and wizards.
- For more titles in the library, check HIP (the online card catalog).
- Another place you can check is the red binders on top of the fiction shelves. They have book series separated by genres. The tabs for "Fantasy, Fairy Tales, & Magic", "Mystery, Spies, & Detectives", and "Supernatural & Horror" include titles which may be considered magical realism, fantasy, or mystery.
- And last but not least, ask Mrs. Turner for help finding a title you might like!
WHERE ELSE CAN I GET THESE BOOKS BESIDES THE SCHOOL LIBRARY?
- Check Frisco Public Library (search their catalog here).
- Purchase a copy from Barnes and Noble or Amazon.
- Find a copy at Half Price Books.
- Use the directions below to access public domain titles through OverDrive.
OVERDRIVE (E-BOOKS)
You can check out digital copies of current YA books for a period of 2 weeks on OverDrive. You can download them to your devices or home computer. You can’t print these titles or have the copy to keep. Here’s how to access these:
Visit our OverDrive site.
Type your student ID number.
Click "Collections" at the top and choose "Mystery and Suspense".
“Borrow” the book
Download to a device or read on your computer.
Certain public domain titles are available in unlimited quantities from OverDrive. You can download these to your devices or read them on your computer. You don't have to check them out, so once you download them you have them forever. Free!
Here's how:
Visit our OverDrive site.
Type your student ID number.
Click "Explore" at the top and choose "Project Gutenberg".
Under Browse Subjects, choose "Mystery and Thriller" or "Science Fiction and Fantasy".
- Download to a device or read on your computer.