Genre Sort

• 2nd–4th grade
• Ages 7–10
• Free, no sign-up

Every book belongs to a genre. In Genre Sort, your child reads a short piece of writing and puts it on the right shelf: fairy tale, fable, poem or nonfiction. Levels start with story or facts, then fable or poem, then fairy tale or fable, then all four at once.

▶ Play

About the game

How to play

1. Read the card. It's a tiny piece of a book.
2. Look for clues. Magic? A lesson? Lines? Facts?
3. Tap the right shelf. Wrong answers get a hint.
4. Sort them all. Three stars for first-try answers.

For parents: what Genre Sort practices

Genre Sort teaches the features of common genres, so kids know what to expect when they pick up a book. It pairs with:

• Fables and morals
• Poetry
• Short stories

Common Core: RL.2.5 (describe the overall structure of a story), RL.4.5 (explain major differences between poems, drama and prose), RI.2.5.

Getting the most out of it

• Ask: is this real or make-believe?
• Fables usually end with a lesson.
• In the cards, a slash (/) shows where a new line of a poem starts.

Games are best as a reward or a warm-up, not the main lesson. Ten minutes of play after a short lesson works better than an hour of play on its own.

More games

• Author's Purpose PIEPersuade, inform or entertain?2nd–4th grade
• Point of View SortFirst, second or third person?3rd–4th grade
• Cause and Effect ConnectConnect each cause to its effect.2nd–4th grade

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Last reviewed: November 11, 2026

Questions parents ask