Understanding Realistic Fiction in Children's Literature

Realistic Fiction Defined

Realistic fiction refers to stories that could happen to people and animals; it is within the realm of possibility that such events could occur or could have occurred.

History of Realistic Fiction

The earliest realistic stories were didactic, intended to teach morality and manners to young readers. In the 18^th century, two significant events occurred:

• Robinson Crusoe was published for adults but became popular among children.
• John Newbery began to publish books of realistic fiction to entertain as well as to educate.

Notable early examples include:

• From England: Treasure Island, Kidnapped.
• From the United States: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Realistic family stories also emerged during the 1800s with Little Women. Titles like Ann of Green Gables and The Secret Garden featured orphans as main characters, serving as precursors to stories addressing the special needs of children with problems. Another theme is represented by Heidi, focusing on children from other lands.

Later developments included:

• Realistic animal stories for children.
• Regional stories.
• Stories about children of minority groups.

Controversial topics such as death, divorce, drugs, alcoholism, and disabilities eventually became permissible subjects in children's books.

Types of Realistic Fiction

The subject matter of realistic fiction encompasses the child's whole world and the joys, sorrows, and challenges of human life. Realistic fiction books can be categorized as follows:

Families

Stories about the nuclear family, extended families, and alternative families.

Peers

Stories showing children struggling for acceptance by peers in a group situation. School settings are common in these narratives.

Challenges (Physical, Emotional, Mental, Behavioural)

These address specific issues, such as physical conditions (scoliosis), emotional struggles (bipolar disorder), mental differences (mental retardation), or behavioural issues (hyperactivity).

Animals

Animal stories remain an ever-popular genre with children; dog and horse stories are the most common.

Sports

Stories where a child protagonist struggles to become accepted as a team member and eventually succeeds through determination and hard work.

Mysteries

The element of suspense is a strong part of the appeal of these stories.

Moral Choices

Characters in many realistic fiction novels face moments of crisis or great difficulty where a decision may change someone's life.

Other Categories

Other categories include romance and sexuality, coming of age, adventure, and survival stories.