Modern Fantasy

What is Modern Fantasy?

As with traditional fantasy, modern

fantasy is distinguished from other
genres by story elements that violate
the natural, physical laws of known
world-events akin to magic. However,
modern fantasy has known authors

Categories of Modern Fantasy

Animal fantasy
Toy & objects infused with life
Tiny humans
Peculiar characters and situations
Imaginary worlds
Magical powers
Supernatural tales
Time-warp
High fantasy
Novelized traditional tales

6 Basic Fantasy Motifs

Magic
Other Worlds
Good vs. Evil
Heroism
Special Character Types
Fantastic objects

Animal Fantasy
Motifs: Magic, Special Character Types

Is the tag given to stories that depart

from reality exclusively because of
talking animals

Olivia the Pig

Author & Illustrator: Ian Falconer

Ian Falconer has illustrated and written the

entire series of the Olivia book collection. The

books talk about the experiences of a little
pig who loves fashion, singing, dancing, and
getting her own way.

Ian Falconer

Bio

His books are

based off of his
real-life first niece.
As a birthday
present to his
niece he created
the storyline of
Olivia: the pig.
He lives in Los
Angeles and was
born in Ridgefield,
Connecticut..

Contributions

Falconer's
illustrations have
graced numerous
covers of The New
Yorker magazine.
In addition, he has
designed sets and
costumes for the
New York City
Ballet, the San
Francisco Opera,
and the Royal
Opera House,
among others.

Other books

Olivias ABC
Olivia Helps With
Christmas
Olivia and the
Fairy Princesses
Olivia Goes to
Venice
Olivia Saves the
Circus
Olivia Forms a
Band
Olivia and the
Missing Toy
Olivia Counts
Olivias Opposites

Awards

Caldecott Honor for Olivia, 2000

Parent's Choice 2000, Gold Award Winner

Nick Jr. Best Book of 2001

ALA Notable Children's Books 2000 & 2001

Child's Best Book of 2006

Los Angeles Times Best Books of 2000 & 2001

Publishers Weekly, Best Books of 2000 & 2001

BookSense Illustrated Children's Book of the Year for Olivia Saves the

Circus, 2002

Voted "Favorite Illustrator" for Olivia Helps with Christmas by over

50,000 children at the Children's Choice Book Awards, 2008

Time-warp Fantasy
Motifs: Special Character Types

In much of fantasy, a special

geography or universe is established

The Giver

The book is a novel written

by Lois Lowry
About a futuristic way of
life in city with all-knowing
Giver.

Lois Lowry

Bio

She is known for writing about

difficult themes in childrens
format
Writes from experience of her
own life
Says through writing she hopes
to show an awareness of
togetherness and our future
depends on our caring for one
another
Born in Hawaii, has been writing
all her life and is accredited with
writing over 30 books

Other Books
Messenger
Anastasia Series
Gooney Bird Series
All About Sam
Like the Willow Tree
A Summer to Die
The One Hundreth Thing
about Caroline
The Willoughbys

Awards

Rhode Island Childrens Book Award in 2002

Won Margaret Edwards Award
Newberry Award for The Giver in 1994
Awarded the Regina Medal in 1994
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Childrens book award in 1991
for Number in the Stars
Newberry Award for Number in the Stars in 1990

Magical Powers Fantasy

Motifs: Good vs. Evil, Heroism, Magic

Magic is fantasy literatures most

basic element

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

A novel written by J.K.

Rowling

About a young boy

living a miserable life
with his aunt and uncle
s family who finds out
he is a wizard and is
thrown into a grand
world with magic
around every corner.
Harry learns of his
destiny and must
decide if he is up for
the challenge

J.K. Rowling

Biography
Became a literary
sensation in 1999 when
the first three instalments
of the Harry Potter series
made the top three spots
on the New York Times
best sellers list
After the Harry Potter
books and movies, she is
considered Britain's 13th
wealthiest woman

Harry Potter is said to

have changed the world
as we know it (DeVera)
Incorporated real life into
fantasy magic

Other Books
The Tales of Beedle
the Bard
The Casual Vacancy
Cuckoo Calling
Pottermore

Awards

Nestl Smarties Book Prize, Gold Medal 9-11 years,

1997
Publishers Weekly Best Books 1998
ALA Notable Children's Books, 1999
American Booksellers Association Book of the Year
International Reading Association: Childrens Choices,
1999
Nestl Smarties Book Prize, Gold Medal 9-11 years,
1997
Young Telegraph Paperback of the Year, 1998
W. H. Smith Book of the Year Award, 1997

Works Cited

Rowling, J. (1997). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. London:

Bloomsbury Pub.
DeVera, R. (2011, July 16). How Harry Potter changed the world. Retrieved
November 16, 2015, from
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/5583/how-harry-potter-changed-the-world
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. (2001). Retrieved November 16, 2015,
from http://www.arthuralevinebooks.com/book.asp?bookid=32
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. (2010). Retrieved November 16, 2015,
from http://harrypotter.scholastic.com/sorcerers_stone/
J.K. Rowling Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2015, from
http://www.biography.com/people/jk-rowling-40998

Modern Fairies and Folk Tales

Motif: Magic, Good vs Evil, Heroism

Is written in a traditional style with

the elements of folklore but with a
contemporary twist

The Little Mermaid

Written by Hans
Christian Andersen
The Little Mermaid is
a fairy tale about a
young mermaid willing
to give up her life in the
sea and her identity as
a mermaid to gain a
human soul.

Hans Christian Andersen

Biography
Was a Danish author who
although a prolific writer of
plays, travelogues, novels,
and poems, he is best
remembered for his fairy
tales.
Andersens popularity is
not limited to children; his
stories called eventyr in
Danish or fairy-tales in
English, express themes
that transcend age and
nationality.

Some of his other books

are:
The Emperors New
Clothes
The Nightingale
The Snow Queen
The Ugly Duckling

Recognition

The Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Solvang,

California, a city founded by Danes, is devoted to
presenting the authors life and works. Displays include
models of Andersens childhood home and of The
Princess and the Pea. The museum also contains
hundreds of volumes of Andersens works, including many
illustrated first editions.
The Hans Christian Andersen Awards are awards by the
International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY),
recognising one living author and one living illustrator for
their lasting contribution[s] to childrens literature. The
writing award was inaugurated in 1956, the illustration
award in 1966. This award is often called the Nobel Prize
for childrens literature.