A troubled young boy discovers special abilities and the great responsibility that comes with them. A meek young girl who learns of her extraordinary secret heritage. A poor boy who is destined for greatness. These are the kinds of stories that could be found in the Juvenile Fantasy genre. They can vary from small, personal stories to battling the forces of evil and saving the world – or a different world. It's one of my favourite sub-genres, and one I find very interesting to explore, so let's look into it.
Juvenile Fantasy stories found their stride around the 15th century, but it was the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that became known as the 'Golden Age of Children's Literature', a period that included many classics of today like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Chronicles of Narnia.
It's in a similar field to its older sibling, the YA genre, and indeed the two can blend together easily, with many books classified under both sub-genres. It's a rich genre filled with fantasy tropes such as magic, fantasy creatures, special abilities, other worlds, and usually a strong sense of morality and lesson learning. Despite aimed at young children, stories feature a high level of characterisation, and a moderate level of plot complexity. Readers want to connect to the characters, above all, and while the stories can be dark and complex, the target audience always has to be considered. It can deal with some heavy ideas with a grand scope – such as death and betrayal – that both adults and young children can relate to on different levels. What's great about the Juvenile Fantasy genre is that children can experience the grander and darker avenues of the adult world, and adults can experience life through the perspective of a child.
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Perhaps the most popular Juvenile Fantasy books in recent times are the Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling. For me these come under the 'wish fulfilment' category, as it features a poorly treated young boy who discovers his special gifts that take him into a magical world, away from his meagre, undesired life. It's another good example of the Hero's Journey. The great thing with these books is that their complexity increases and matures as the series progresses, growing alongside its readers.
