21st Century Genres
Genre Study
Ok come on we've been in the 21st century for a while now. It's time to accept that technology is here to stay. So use it! You may not like ebooks, but your students sure will! Do what's best for them. The future is moving towards more online and less paper. The idea of being a literate person has now changed from just being able to read to being able to read, write, and perform basic computer skills. Nowadays you can’t escape technology, students need these skills to get anywhere in life. The 21st century genres put a focus on what it means to be literate in this day and age. The 21st century genres are newer genres that use visual storytelling through symbols, images, or multimedia formats. The genres within the 21st century category include Graphic Novels, Illustrated Novels, Manga Fiction, Digi Fiction, and Doodle Fiction. When you hear graphic novels think “comics.” They are synonymous. An illustrated novel is where about half of the story is presented through pictures and illustrations. It is common for these types of novels to have one chapter written out and then the following chapter has little to no words and relies on pictures to get the point of the chapter across. It is impossible to get the full story if you do not interpret the chapters that use pictures. Manga Fiction are comics that were made in Japan. Some students find Mangas to be fun and challenging because they are read in the traditional Japanese order-from right to left. Which is the opposite of the traditional American way to read—from left to right. Digi Fiction is very interactive! Students love these! They combine three different types of media—a book, videos, and a website. In order to get the full story, students must use all three. Lastly, there is doodle fiction which are books that look like they have been hand-written and hand-drawn. These typically come in the form of a diary or journal. Students find this different presentation of the book to be fun and eye-appealing.
Awards
Authors
Genre Resources
Teaching Tools
Books I Recommend
Rutabaga
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Reference information for accessing the text (APA Citation): Colossal, E. (n.d.). Rutabaga the adventure chef.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Grade level span where the book would be considered “complex text.”: 2
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Grade level span for use as a class read aloud: K-1
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Major themes addressed in the book: Adventure. Health. Cooking. Fighting crime.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Qualities of the writing that are worthy of note: Graphic novel. Part of a series. Bright and colorful illustrations. Very eye-appealing. Larger text than what is usually in a comic. Provides healthy snack ideas and recipes in the appendices.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Connections to authentic local, national, or global issues: Connects to national issue of obese children and needing to eat healthier. Teaches kids about unusual vegetables and healthy snacks to eat.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Facets of the book that may be difficult for students and require support:Students may struggle with how to read a graphic novel. It may be confusing for them to figure out which box to read next.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Support that may be needed by students because of the difficult components of the book: Model the correct way to read a graphic novel.
Amelia Rules
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Reference information for accessing the text (APA Citation): Gownley, J. (2011). Amelia Rules: The meaning of life-- and other stuff. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Grade level span where the book would be considered “complex text.”: 2-3
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Grade level span for use as a class read aloud: 1-2
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Major themes addressed in the book: Life. Confidence. Bullying. Popularity.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Qualities of the writing that are worthy of note: Graphic novel. Relatable topics for students. Eye-appealing illustrations and doodles.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Connections to authentic local, national, or global issues: Connects to personal issues of wanting to fit in and feel a sense of belonging. Can connect to national issue of number of mental illnesses, such as depression.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Facets of the book that may be difficult for students and require support: This book is quanitatively rated for second and third graders, but the content is more geared towards pre-teens.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Support that may be needed by students because of the difficult components of the book: Use with upper elementary students or middle school students or with students you believe can handle the maturity level of the content.
