Fantasy
A form of writing the requires its readers to use their imaginations and suspend their beliefs. It often involves mythical and or magical creatures and themes, or supernatural elements, that do not exist in real life.
Fantasy can be either "light" or "high," depending on the seriousness of the story. "High" fantasy raises deeper questions and more serious issues than "light" fantasy.
Fantasy can come in many forms:
Animal Fantasy, where animals have human attributes such as thoughts, feelings and, the most unrealistic, the ability to talk. An example of this is the beloved children's classic, Charoltte's Web by E. B. White.
Miniature Worlds, with small beings such as sprites, trolls and leprechauns, which go about unseen. An example of this type of fantasy would be The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Time Slips, Unreal Worlds and Magic often intertwine to take the reader outside the realm of everyday life. Characters are taken to other times and places and have the ability to do enchanting and magical things. Some great examples of this kind of fantasy are Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, and Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren.
Literary Lore takes the traditional qualities of ancient folklore and imitates, embellishes, or alters them. This can be seen in books like The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by John Scieszka and Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.
Quest Tales describe a characters outer and inner struggle as they overcome obstacles and vanquish evil in settings or ways beyond reality. Example of this are The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman and The Ancient One by Thomas Barron
Often these forms of fantasy are not separate or distinct, but rather come together in many books to enrapture their audience, taking them to a new world filled with splendor and imagination.
Some of my favorite examples of children's Fantasy Books include:
The Harry Potter series by: J. K. Rowling
Fableheaven series by: Brandon Mull
TheUnderland Chronicles by: Suzanne Collins
Twilight by:Stephanie Meyer
Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by: Rick Riordan
Chronicles of Narnia by: C.S. Lewis
Bridge to Terabithia by: Katherine Paterson
Book Picture found on these web pages:
http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Saga-Book-1/dp/0316015849/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271458115&sr=1-1
http://monsterscifishow.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/percy-jackson-and-the-olympians-the-lightning-thief-trailer-trailer-addict/
http://www.juliesternberg.com/blog/2008/08/gregor-overlander.html
http://croqueurs-de-livres.forumactif.net/fantastique-f3/fablehaven-brandon-mull-t348.htm
http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n1/n5584.jpg
http://www.coverbrowser.com/covers/classic-childrens-books
Information on fantasy literature taken from:
Galda, Lee and Bernice E. Cullinan. Literature and the Child 5th Edition. Wadsworth Group. 2002. pg 161-180.