Magical Realism

The Magical Realism Collection highlights narratives that present magical or supernatural elements in a realistic way. Often challenging literary conventions, these selections situate elements of fantasy, such as time travel or the ability to communicate with animals, in otherwise believable settings. This Collection features titles from authors who frequently employ magical realism in their narratives, such as Gabriel García Márquez and Haruki Murakami.

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Self Discovery, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Animals, Food, Relationships


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Relationships, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature, Gender / Feminism, Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Toni Morrison’s novel Paradise was published in 1997, just a few years after she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. According to Morrison, it is the last book of a trilogy that includes Beloved and Jazz. Morrison is an esteemed American novelist, having also received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (1998) and the Coretta Scott King Award for Authors (2005), among other awards. She was educated at Howard University and Cornell University, and... Read Paradise Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Children's Literature, Magical Realism, Indian Literature, Fantasy


Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Latin American Literature, Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, History: World, Fantasy

Pedro Paramo is a 1955 novel by Mexican author Juan Rulfo. In the novel, Juan Preciado returns to his mother’s hometown after her death to seek out his father. Rather than his father, he discovers a town populated by ghosts and traumatic memories. Pedro Paramo has been hailed as one of the most important novels of the 20th century and a vital foundation stone in the genre of magical realism. This guide uses the 2014... Read Pedro Paramo Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Natural World: Animals, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Animals, French Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, African Literature, Black Lives Matter, Children's Literature, Magical Realism

Akwaeke Emezi’s Pet, published in 2019, is a Speculative Fiction/Fantasy novel intended for Young Adult readers. Named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, Pet was also a finalist for the 2019 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. The novel received the Stonewall Book Award, which recognizes achievement in LGBTQIA+ literature. Emezi, a non-binary Nigerian Igbo and Tamil writer who uses they/them pronouns, is also the author of two novels... Read Pet Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Magical Realism, Health / Medicine, History: Asian, Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Translated from the Korean by Chi-young Kim, Please Look After Mom (2008) by Kyung-sook Shin is an international work of best-selling fiction. When 69-year-old So-nyo Park goes missing one Saturday outside Seoul Station, her disappearance sets in motion a desperate search not only for where So-nyo might be but for who So-nyo was to her shocked and confused family members. One by one, So-nyo’s family comes to terms with the fact that they didn’t know... Read Please Look After Mom Summary


Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Birth

Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Classic Fiction

Potiki, a novel by Patricia Grace originally published in 1986, tells the story of a Maori community in New Zealand and their struggle for survival against the attempts of land developers to buy, bully and coerce them off their land. What the developers fail to understand about this community, however, is that no amount of money can entice these people away from their sacred land and buildings, and that there is ultimately more strength in... Read Potiki Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Indigenous

Tags Magical Realism, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1983

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags African American Literature, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Classic Fiction

Paule Marshall’s 1983 Praisesong for the Widow follows an African American woman on a journey of spiritual discovery after the death of her husband. The novel is widely acclaimed and a receiver of the American Book Award. This study guide relies upon the 1983 Plume edition of the novel.Plot SummaryIn the late 1970s, Avey “Avatara” Johnson embarks on a cruise to the Caribbean with her two companions, Clarice and Thomasina. Avey is a 64-year-old woman... Read Praisesong For The Widow Summary


Publication year 1991

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Tags Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature, Arts / Culture, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Classic Fiction

Rain of Gold recounts author Victor Villaseñor’s family history through the early 20th century, when his parents immigrated to America to escape the violence of the Mexican Revolution. The book was inspired by stories from his grandmother and father, which Villaseñor came to view with skepticism as an adult. He devoted 12 years to researching his family’s history, which included conducting hundreds of hours of interviews with his parents, Lupe and Juan Salvador, and embarking... Read Rain of Gold Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Immigration

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Animals, Grief / Death, Parenting, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Magical Realism, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, Music, Fantasy

Reservation Blues tells the story of Coyote Springs, a Spokane Indian rock band. The band is founded on a reservation, slowly gathers fans, and begins to play shows. Coyote Springs is given the chance to audition for a major record company in New York City, but, ultimately, the band does not succeed. The book combines traditional narrative with a mixture of other narrative techniques, including newspaper articles, song lyrics, interviews, and excerpts from journals. Together... Read Reservation Blues Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, History: World