The fantasy genre of literature is often considered to be specific to a small minority of people, but this is not always the case. Fantasy literature includes elements that could never be real, such as wizards, dragons, and talking animals that are intertwined with realistic events or characters. It is when the ordinary mixes with the extra ordinary and really allows the reader to escape to a new world! School-age children tend to enjoy fantasy much more than adults. Be it because of their inexperience in life or their vivid imagination, fantasy literature really speaks to them.
Why Fantasy?
Fantasy literature appeals to people for different reasons. For children, they are often exciting adventures that offer something different than the ordinary day to day world that they exist in. The imaginative and fantastical worlds and events that are created interest students and keep them engaged.
Many school-age children are more interested in playing video games and computer games than reading books, as many parents and teachers will attest. Finding a book that interests children can often be a challenge, but fantasy literature often piques their interest and holds it while keeping them engaged in the reading. This is one of the reasons to include fantasy literature in the school-age classroom.