Abstract

The author describes the reasons why fantasy literature is more useful for reading guidance than realistic fiction. The activities of the human brain are in accordance with the activities of creating fantastic stories. She explains that the characteristics of creativity, according to the findings of psychologists and neuroscientists, are inherent in the activities of the human brain which is integrating information. These properties of information integrating are strongly immanent in fantasy literature. Fantasy literature provides the brains of readers with opportunities to integrate information because of its heterogeneity, for fantasy literature includes both realistic and unrealistic characters and settings comparable to those of realistic fiction. Also fantasy literature appeals to the curiosity and interest of young people, so students easily pay attention to it. Therefore, the author recommends that teacher-librarians use fantasy literature for reading guidance for students. In order to achieve successful reading guidance at school libraries, the author recommends the following.① A school library should have teacher-librarians who are well grounded in literature.② School authorities should elevate the teacher-librarian’s status to the same level as that of other teachers and create conditions such that teacher-librarians can best carry out their responsibilities.③ It is necessary that a variety of lesson plans be developed for use by teacher-librarians.