What+is+Contemporary+Realistic+Fiction?

===What is Contemporary Realistic Fiction? What are some popular types of realistic fiction (consider types such as animal stories, humorous stories, sports stories, mysteries, school stories, etc)? What are some of the issues related to contemporary realistic fiction? How might one go about selecting contemporary realistic fiction? ===

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** Jerry Spinellli, Sharon Creech, Katherine Patterson, Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary **. What do these names have in common? They are some of the authors who write Contemporary Realistic Fiction books. The best way to describe Contemporary Realistic Fiction is that they are stories that didn’t happen (fiction) but could have (realistic). Realistic stories seem like real life with characters dealing with real life issues. There are many types of realistic fiction. ** Family Stories ** can include a variety of family situations and help us to understand that there is no one particular way to define “family”. Family stories may touch upon difficult issues such as divorce, death and illness. Sometimes we can see ourselves or people we know in these stories and it helps us to understand and empathize. __Waiting for Normal__ by Leslie Connor, offers a glimpse into a young girls life that might be different than our own: Addie, the main character starts with “It’s best to know right from the beginning-that my family is hard to follow—like a road that keeps taking twists and turns.” This comes at the beginning of a story that takes the reader through the good and not-so-good times of Addie’s life. ** Survival Stories ** involve characters struggling against the forces of the world around them. In some stories it may be natural forces such as in Garry Paulsen’s Hatchet, or Jean Craighead George’s // My Side of the Mountain //. In other stories the struggle could be against social forces such as inner city struggles or war torn cities. Jerry Spinelli’s __Manic Magee__ offers us an opportunity to view such struggles and how they are overcome. Many contemporary realistic fiction stories deal with ** individual differences. ** Autism, learning disabilities, and just not fitting in with our peers are all subjects that can be covered. Some stories are written from the perspective of the individual going through the struggle. Other times it is a friend or sibling. ** Animal Stories ** are just what the title implies. However, unlike fantasy books, in contemporary realistic fiction animals don’t talk. There are stories about beloved pets, stories about raising farm animals, cheering your horse to the finish line and so much more. ** Mystery Stories **are an important member of the realistic fiction family. They challenge us to get into the story and ask Who, What, When, Where, Why. ** Sports Stories ** take us into the world of sports and beyond. In addition to getting the opportunity to follow a team’s season we can learn about other aspects of sports such as playing fair, family struggles and overcoming obstacles. Author Matt Christopher has given us a number of sport stories to choose from. As the title implies, Contemporary Realistic Fiction deals with current issues. Sadly, sometimes the issues are tough and unpleasant. These stories, however, can help us to understand others, and realize that we are not the only one who is going through a particular struggle. This makes them especially important! Realistic Fiction stories can give us hope, understanding and let us know that we are not alone. Selecting Contemporary Realistic Fiction books can hold many challenges. Often, topics can be controversial. It is important to be aware of the issues presented in each book.