The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction / Edition 1

by Neal Wyatt, Joyce G. Saricks

Overview

From psychological suspense and historical fiction to gentle reads and romance, this new guide from expert readers' advisor Joyce Saricks explores the many worlds of fiction. Covering fifteen popular genres (including often-neglected literary titles), each chapter includes a definition of the genre, its characteristics and appeal elements (such as character development, story line, and frame), and its key authors and subgenres. To help you prepare for the eternal can you recommend a good book on... question, there are also reader interview tips, reference sources, and guidelines on how to prepare for the questions you will undoubtedly get. Packed with specific examples, this user-friendly and readable guide will help you to: * Learn which elements of fiction actually entice readers. * Distinguish the expectations of readers of different genres. * Uncover Sure Bets - titles that consistently appeal to a variety of readers. * Master the ins and outs of the readers' advisory interview. Provocative and spirited, The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction offers hands-on strategies for librarians who want to become expert at figuring out what their readers are looking for and ho

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780838908037
Publisher:	American Library Association
Publication date:	06/01/2001
Series:	ALA Readers' Advisory Series
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	476
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.96(d)
Age Range:	5 - 17 Years

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2019

In the third edition of this guide, former librarian Saricks (Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library) is joined by Wyatt, LJ's readers' advisory columnist. The authors promote the "appeal framework," a set of terms for readers' advisors to use in classifying works, based on writing elements and features including pacing, story line, characterization, and tone. The framework crosses genre, subject, and format; indeed, this latest version of this guide emphasizes the importance of the entire collection (including nonfiction and multimedia) more so than previous editions. Another key component is genre studies, which examines in detail what makes each category unique, while also looking at genre subdivisions, core features, titles, and authors. Rather than focusing on well-known genres (mystery, romance, sf, etc.), the authors combine them into four broad-based topics: adrenaline, intellect, landscape, and emotion. These more general terms allow librarians to determine more effectively how genres overlap and connect while also acknowledging that their readers' preferences do not always fit easily into a particular type of work. VERDICT This valuable resource lets public librarians move beyond a narrow approach to readers' advisory and become more open to a wide range of possibilities.—Dave Pugl, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

Library Journal