Lesson 4 of 7 Free account 4 min read
Creating Characters Kids Love (Without Preaching)
Children connect with heroes who want something badly and solve their own problems. Learn how to build a child protagonist with a clear want, a distinct voice and real flaws, and how to keep the lesson from swallowing the story.
Key takeaways
- Your child protagonist has to solve the problem themselves, not be rescued by a wise adult.
- A strong character wants something concrete and specific, and has a flaw that gets in the way.
- Voice comes from how a character sees the world, not from slang or exclamation points.
- Kids can smell a lesson from across the room; let the theme come out of the story, never state it at the end.
Ask a child about a favorite book and they almost always talk about a character before they talk about a plot. The characters kids love tend to share a few things: they want something with their whole heart, they make mistakes, they're a little bit braver or naughtier than the reader, and they figure things out on their own.
Why Should the Child Solve the Problem?
Children spend most of their day being told what to do by adults. A book where a kid takes charge is thrilling. If a parent, teacher or magical helper swoops in at the end to fix everything, the hero shrinks and the reader feels cheated. Adults can be in the story, as obstacles, comic relief or warm safety, but the turning point has to be the hero’s own idea or action.
Rescued: Theo couldn't reach the kite in the tree. He cried and cried. Then Grandpa came out with a ladder and got it down for him. Self-solved: Theo couldn't reach the kite. He tried jumping. He tried a broom. He tried asking the tree nicely. Then he looked at his little sister, and his little sister looked at the wagon, and they both looked at the tree. [Art note: a wobbly tower of wagon, sister, and Theo, kite almost in reach.]
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