📚 Get to Know Your Book Genres! |
Have you ever stood in front of the library shelves wondering what kind of book to try next? Understanding genres — the different types of books — can help you find stories you’ll love, whether you’re in the mood for a laugh, a mystery, or a magical journey. Here’s Bruce the Moose with a breakdown of the genres we’re exploring — plus some top picks for each one.
🧙♂️ Fantasy
What it is: Fantasy books take you to imaginary worlds full of magic, mythical creatures, and incredible adventures.
Great for readers who love: dragons, wizards, magical quests, and talking animals.
Recommended Reads:
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The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer
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The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
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Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland
Mystery
What it is: Mysteries are all about solving puzzles or crimes. You’ll gather clues, make guesses, and try to solve the case before the characters do!
Great for readers who love: solving puzzles, twists and turns, and surprise endings.
Recommended Reads:
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The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
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Encyclopedia Brown series by Donald J. Sobol
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City Spies by James Ponti
🤖 Science Fiction
What it is: Sci-fi books imagine the future or alternate worlds with advanced technology, space travel, robots, or scientific experiments gone wrong.
Great for readers who love: gadgets, outer space, alternate realities, and asking “what if?”
Recommended Reads:
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Space Case by Stuart Gibbs
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The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
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The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm
😆 Humour
What it is: These books are written to make you laugh! They often feature silly situations, clever characters, and lots of fun.
Great for readers who love: jokes, funny characters, and light-hearted stories.
Recommended Reads:
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The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
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Unicorn Rescue Society by Adam Gidwitz
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Wayside School series by Louis Sachar
😢 Realistic Fiction
What it is: These stories could happen in real life. They deal with everyday problems, school life, friendships, and families.
Great for readers who love: emotional stories, characters like themselves, and real-life situations.
Recommended Reads:
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Wonder by R.J. Palacio
- The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty
🏰 Historical Fiction
What it is: These stories take place in the past and show how life was during different time periods.
Great for readers who love: learning about history through characters and stories.
Recommended Reads:
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Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
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Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
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Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
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The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
📘Nonfiction
What it is: Nonfiction books are full of facts and real information about the world, people, science, animals, and more.
Great for readers who love: learning new things, true stories, and interesting facts.
Recommended Reads:
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What If You Had Animal Teeth? by Sandra Markle
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Who Was? series (e.g., Who Was Neil Armstrong?)
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Science Comics series
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Hidden Figures (Young Readers Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly
Investigators Books
💬 Graphic Novels
What it is: These are stories told through pictures and speech bubbles, like a long comic book.
Great for readers who love: strong visuals, action-packed stories, and quick reads.
Recommended Reads:
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Smile by Raina Telgemeier
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New Kid by Jerry Craft
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InvestiGators by John Patrick Green
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When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
💗 Biography
What it is: Biographies tell the true story of a real person’s life — often someone who changed the world or did something amazing.
Great for readers who love: inspiring stories and learning about real people.
Recommended Reads:
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Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls’ Rights by Malala Yousafzai
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Shark Lady by Jess Keating
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The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
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Kid Scientists by David Stabler
🐾 Animal Stories
What it is: These stories star animals as the main characters — sometimes realistic, sometimes talking or magical.
Great for readers who love: animal adventures, wildlife, and heartwarming tales.
Recommended Reads:
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A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry
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Pax by Sara Pennypacker
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Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
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Redwall series by Brian Jacques
🏅 SPORTS
Books in the Sports genre focus on athletes, teams, and the challenges and excitement of competition. These stories often include training, teamwork, wins and losses, and characters who grow both on and off the field. Whether it’s basketball, soccer, dance, or martial arts, sports books are full of action and heart.
📖 Try:
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Ghost – Jason Reynolds
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The Crossover – Kwame Alexander
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Soccer Shootout – Jake Maddox
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🧭 ADVENTURE
Adventure books are full of excitement, danger, and fast-paced action! These stories often feature characters who go on daring journeys, explore new places, or survive in the wild. Adventure books keep you on the edge of your seat as you turn the pages to see what happens next.
📖 Try:
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Hatchet – Gary Paulsen
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians – Rick Riordan
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Treasure Hunters – James Patterson
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📖 What’s Your Favourite Genre?
Exploring different genres can help you discover new books and new favorites. Why not try something you’ve never read before?
