Genres and forms in children's and young adult (YA) fiction

Fast-paced and plot-driven, these stories usually involve the main character going on a quest or journey and experiencing extreme conditions. They typically have a lot of danger and tension.

Examples for children

• Below by David Hill (NZ)

• Below Zero by Dan Smith

• Escape to the River Sea by Emma Carroll

• Fledgling by Lucy Hope

• Hine and the Tohunga Portal by Ataria Sharman (NZ)

• Into the Volcano by Jess Butterworth

• Kidnap at Mystery Island by Carol Garden (NZ)

• The Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana Farook

YA examples

• A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C. B. Lee

• Endgame by Malorie Blackman

• Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

• One Piece by Eiichirō Oda

• Splinters of Sunshine by Patrice Lawrence

• The Last Tuatara and other titles by Des Hunt (NZ)

The classics are titles that have established themselves as examples of literature that stand the test of time. Classics are time-honoured, which is why there are ‘classic’ classics and modern classics.

Older classics include titles by E. B. White, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen or H. G. Wells.

Modern classics

Examples for children

• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

• Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

• Holes by Louis Sachar

• Northern Lights series by Phillip Pullman

• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

YA examples

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

• Tomorrow When the War Began series by John Marsden

New Zealand classics

Examples for children

• A Lion in the Meadow by Margaret Mahy and Jenny Williams

• Hairy Maclary series by Lynley Dodd

• How Maui Slowed the Sun by Peter Gossage

• The Fierce Little Woman and the Wicked Pirate by Joy Cowley and Sarah Davis

• The House That Jack Built by Gavin Bishop

• The Kuia and the Spider by Patricia Grace and Robyn Kahukiwa

YA examples

• Alex series by Tessa Duder

• Cousins by Patricia Grace

• I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale

• See Ya Simon by David Hill

• The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

This genre is usually set in the recognisable present, with contemporary characters, events and dialogue. The themes and tensions tend to be relatable.

The characters sometimes tackle big issues. This may involve the trials and tribulations of relationships, bullying, dealing with life, emotional and mental wellbeing, or challenges around identity.

General

Examples for children

• Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins

• Dream, Annie, Dream by Waka T. Brown

• Every Shiny Thing by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison

• Finn's Little Fibs by Tom Percival

• October, October by Katya Balen

• The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

• Wild by Ele Fountain

YA examples

• Catch Me When You Fall by Eileen Merriman (NZ)

• Crush by Svetlana Chmakova

• History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

• She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

• Tama Sāmoa by Dahlia and Mani Malaeulu (NZ)

• Teine Sāmoa by Dahlia Malaeulu (NZ)

• The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah

• The Pōrangi Boy by Shilo Kino (NZ)

Around the world

Not necessarily a sub-genre, but this is a category of books worth mentioning. These books showcase diverse perspectives and themes from around the world. They may involve historical, political or societal issues and experiences that are unique to the setting or characters.

Examples for children

• Front Desk series by Kelly Yang

• Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush by Patrice Lawrence

• Maisie's Scrapbook by Samuel Narh and Jo Loring-Fisher

• Red Panda Rescue by Jess Butterworth

• The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan

• The Last Bear by Hannah Gold

• When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhhà Lai

YA examples

• As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

• Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy

• Nothing by Janne Teller

• Patu by Tim Tipene (NZ)

• Secrets in the Fire by Henning Mankell

• Tangi by Witi Ihimaera (NZ)

• The Crossing by Manjeet Mann

• When Morning Comes by Arushi Raina

LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex and Asexual)

These stories tend to focus on exploring identity — the struggles, acceptance and relationships of characters who are LGBTQIA+. The stories may also explore the journeys of the people around them.

Examples for children

• Birdie and Me by J. M. M. Nuanez

• Melissa series by Alex Gino

• Nate Expectations by Tim Federle

• Nothing Ever Happens Here by Sarah Haggers-Holt

• Tea Dragon Society series by Kay O'Neill (NZ)

• Tōku Whānau Rerehua | My Beautiful Family by Ruahina Cooper and Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (NZ)

YA examples

• Invisibly Breathing by Eileen Merriman (NZ)

• Paper Planes by Jennie Wood, Dozerdraws, and Micah Myers

• Tāne's War by Brendaniel Weir (NZ)

• The Witch-Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag

• Tim Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick Blues by H. S. Valley (NZ)

The fantasy genre often has imaginary settings, events or characters involving magic, paranormal or the supernatural.

The sci-fi genre has elements of real or real-feeling science. It includes futuristic environmental changes, space or time travel, life on other planets and the future of the human race.

There are many sub-genres of fantasy and science fiction.

Fantasy

Examples for children

• The Book of Legends by Lenny Henry

• The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott and Robin Robinson

• The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson

• Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland

YA examples

• Aotearoa series by David Hair (NZ)

• Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

• Only a Monster by Vanessa Len

• Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

• Telesā series by Lani Wendt Young (NZ)

• The Prison Healer by Lynette Non

Sci-fi

Examples for children

• Hilo series by Judd Winick

• The Last Kids on Earth series by Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate

• TrooFriend by Kirsty Applebaum

• We're Not from Here by Geoff Rodkey

YA examples

• Across the Universe by Beth Revis

• Andromeda Bond in Trouble Deep by Brian Falkner (NZ)

• Aurora Cycle series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

• Hello Strange by Pamela Morrow (NZ)

• Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

• Monsters in the Garden edited by Elizabeth Knox and David Larsen (NZ)

• New Dawning by A. M. Dixon (NZ)

• Watched by Tihema Baker (NZ)

Dystopian

Plots in this genre often involve elements of terror, oppression and degradation of social values and hierarchies.

They tend to be set in new or alternative worlds or futuristic societies. The characters often battle against controlling governments, technological takeovers, environmental disasters or the collapse of society. These stories often include elements of science fiction, relationships and romance.

Examples for children

• Doom's Day Camp by Joshua Hauke

• How to Bee and others by Bren MacDibble (NZ)

• The Feather by Margaret Wild and Freya Blackwood

• The Raven's Song by Zana Fraillon and Bren MacDibble

YA examples

• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

• Helen and the Go-Go Ninjas by Ant Sang and Michael Bennett (NZ)

• Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

• The Getaway by Lamar Giles

• The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

• The Sea-Wreck Stranger by Anna Mackenzie (NZ)

Paranormal or supernatural

Things that happen in stories of this genre often can't be logically explained — such as telekinesis or extrasensory perception (ESP). Stories can feature creatures like werewolves, vampires or ghosts. Paranormal or supernatural elements also appear in stories of other genres such as horror, fantasy and relationships.

Examples for children

• A Most Peculiar Toy Factory by Alex Bell

• Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

• Greta and the Ghost Hunters by Sam Copeland

• The Ghost Tree and Other Eerie Tales by Anthony Holcroft (NZ)

• Wolves of Willoughby Chase series by Joan Aiken

YA examples

• Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

• Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

• The Changeover by Margaret Mahy (NZ)

• This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

• Witch by Finbar Hawkins

Steampunk

Steampunk is a sub-genre of sci-fi and fantasy that includes technology or gadgets from the 19th century. It is a mash-up between past and future with exploration and adventure at the heart. Some describe it as the old aesthetics of the Victorian age mixed with modern technology.

Examples for children

• Brightstorm: A Sky-Ship Adventure by Vashti Hardy

• Cogheart Adventure series by Peter Bunzl

• Mortal Engines series by Philip Reeve

• The Uprising: The Mapmakers in Cruxcia by Eirlys Hunter (NZ)

YA examples

• Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

• Soulless series by Gail Carriger

• Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant

• The Traitor and the Thief and other titles by Gareth Ward (NZ)

This genre has stories and characters pitched against a significant backdrop of time or history of a place or country. War, social history and political instability often feature.

Examples for children

• Amorangi and Millie's Trip Through Time by Lauren Keenan (NZ)

• Meanwhile Back on Earth by Oliver Jeffers

• I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis

• Remember that November by Jennifer Beck and Lindy Fisher (NZ)

• The Anzac Billy by Claire Saxby, Mark Jackson and Heather Potter

• The Battlefield by Don Long and Phillip Paea (NZ)

• War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

YA examples

• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

• Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

• In Our Own Backyard by Anne Kayes (NZ)

• Iris and Me by Philippa Werry (NZ)

• Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

• The Parihaka Woman by Witi Ihimaera (NZ)

• The Sparrow by Tessa Duder (NZ)

• These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (NZ)

Stories in this genre are written to scare the reader. They build an atmosphere that creates a feeling of dread. Stories may contain gory details of blood and injuries or more paranormal elements such as ghosts, demons or spooky settings.

Examples for children

• Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy

• Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

• The Collector by K. R. Alexander

• The Ghost House and others by Bill Nagelkerke (NZ)

• The Memory Thief by Leonie Agnew (NZ)

YA examples

• Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

• House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

• White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

• Zom-B City by Darren Shan

Humour has stories that cause you to smile or laugh out loud at the quirkiness of their characters or plot. Humour can cross over into any other genre.

Examples for children

• Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths by Maisie Chan

• Exploding Endings series by Tim Harris

• How Not to Stop a Kidnap Plot by Suzanne Main (NZ)

• I Stole My Genius Sister's Brain by Jo Simmons

• It's the End of the World and I'm in My Bathing Suit by Jason Reynolds

• Mind-Swapping Madness by Tom E. Moffatt (NZ)

• The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds

• The Top Secret Undercover Notes of Buttons McGinty series by Rhys Darby (NZ)

YA examples

• Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe

• How It All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi

• Layoverland by Gabby Noone

• The Prom Goer's Interstellar Excursion by Chris McCoy

• Under the Radar by Des O'Leary (NZ)

The mystery genre is often centred around something that needs solving or secrets to be discovered. The characters are typically amateurs.

Thrillers lean more toward the YA audience. They're a bit grittier with bigger stakes. Stories will often come with twists, deceit and time pressures.

Examples for children

• Bureau of Mysteries series by H. J Harper

• Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson

• Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens

• Red Edge by Des Hunt (NZ)

• The Inkberg Enigma by Jonathan King (NZ)

YA examples

• A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

• Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow

• Flight of the Fantail by Steph Matuku (NZ)

• One of Us is Lying series by Karen M. McManus

• Theodore Boone series by John Grisham

Narrated in diary form, these fiction or non-fiction tales are personal recounts, usually played out day by day.

Examples for children

• Diary of a Bat and other titles by Sally Sutton (NZ)

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney

• Diary of a Worm and other titles by Doreen Cronin

• Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renée Russell

• Ella Diaries series and Olivia's Secret Scribbles series by Meredith Costain

• Isaiah Dunn is My Hero by Kelly J. Baptist

• My New Zealand Story series by various authors (NZ)

YA examples

• A Trio of Sophies by Eileen Merriman (NZ)

• All About Pumpkin by Natasha Farrant

• Chinglish by Sue Cheung

• Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

• My Story series by various authors

• The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros

Fiction and non-fiction graphic novels are full-length works of literature, which require you to read the pictures and text.

Read our ‘Graphic novels’ page for an overview of this form, some examples and how to use these novels with students: Graphic novels.

Poetry uses carefully chosen words to share ideas, express and evoke emotions, and create imagery.

Read our ‘Poetry’ page for information about this form, authors worth exploring, and tips for sharing poetry with students: Poetry.

Verse novels

Verse novels are a form of poetry. Straightforward, shorter, and faster to read than a novel, most have a single narrator and an intimacy of details in short sound bites.

Read our ‘Verse novels’ page for an overview of this form, some suggested texts and how to use these novels with students: Verse novels.

Short stories could be a selection of stories by one author or a collection by various authors.

Examples for children

• Animal Tales by Dick King-Smith

• Black Boy Joy edited by Kwame Mbalia

• Funny Girl edited by Betsy Bird

• Stinetinglers by R. L. Stine

• The Hero Next Door edited by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

YA examples

• Fresh Ink: An Anthology edited by Lamar Giles

• Fresh Ink: A Collection of Voices from Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ)

• Stories on the Four Winds edited by Brian and Robyn Bargh (NZ)

• These Islands Here: Short Stories of the South Pacific by Bronwyn Elsmore (NZ)

• Under the Weather: Stories About Climate Change edited by Tony Bradman