Picture Books and Writing a Child Character
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
As an editor, one of the most difficult tasks I face is adult writers who attempt writing a child character for a picture book, early reader, or chapter book, and fall short. Read on to learn some tips for writing a child character effectively, and giving them something to do in their story. (Even in books for the youngest readers, you want your character to have a character arc and to be active vs reactive—within the limits of what a five-year-old can realistically do, of course.) Writing a child character is an art and a craft, so to plunge into this topic, read on.
Writing a Child Character Arc
One thing to remember in writing a child character for a picture book is that you need to have a reason to tell the story you’re attempting. This means that you should have a book theme and your character should experience something, or change, at least a little bit. You see, unlike other forms of children's literature, picture books are about teaching a moral or lesson, so it's important to ensure the reader takes away something from the story.
However, you do not want to be overt with this teaching. It's a bit like when parents want to make sure their kids get some healthy nutrients, but don't want to make it too obvious, like sneaking carrot juice into brownies. So, the real challenge is finding the balance between being effective and avoiding lecturing. The last thing you want is to come across as moralizing in meaningful children’s books—which is going to get you an instant rejection.
So how do you go about writing a child character who changes in a natural way, while also sneaking in a lesson or theme? Ultimately, it's all about that character and how they experience the plot!
Remember that the events of your story are what can help your character grow. The most effective picture books depicting character change have an air of subtlety and are character-driven, as opposed to being overly didactic. Writing a child character is hard because you’re limited to realizations and experiences that are developmentally appropriate for the character’s age.
The temptation is to put a wise adult in the scene to deliver the message. Or to give your child character insight or emotional attributes that aren’t childlike at all. But don’t do it. I can tell you that I'm not the only one who despises morals being delivered in a preachy fashion. In fact, many agents and publishers reject projects immediately when they see this at work.
Writing a Child Character Who Experiences The Moral Instead
Rather than simply stating the lesson, how do you get into the swing of writing a child character and crafting a picture book that demonstrates organic character growth? The answer is quite straightforward: let the character have some moments of enlightenment and then act on them, showing the reader that they have changed or are now using their new ideas … but without explicitly spelling out the point of what they’ve learned.
Instead of writing "And Erin realized that sharing IS caring!" a more effective approach would be to depict a scene of Erin sharing with her friends and feeling fulfilled, without explicitly mentioning this satisfaction. (Remember that you can use words and pictures to tell the story, so the smile can be in picture book illustration and not even the text!)
To effectively impart a moral lesson, consider writing a child character and put them in scenarios where they can actively learn, appreciate, or pass on their newfound knowledge. Kids especially love to act as teachers, as it makes them feel grown-up, so providing them with a chance to show their newly-acquired wisdom to a younger sibling or peer is a great way to illustrate a moral. This passes the lesson on to another character—but also to the reader.
Writing a Child Character Realistically
Picture books that portray character change should stay realistic. It's highly unlikely that a preschooler would believe that people could switch from bad to good in a flash, so try to stay away from stories that suggest unrealistic outcomes. Yes, we love seeing bullies reform their ways and children sit in a “kumbaya” circle and share without speaking out of turn, but you don’t want to sugarcoat anything when writing a child character.
You aren’t writing a novel, so you have less room for plot development and dialogue, but your character should be imperfect and show that they have flaws and are close to a real human preschooler or elementary schooler. Consider relatability when you’re writing a child character.
Show respect for your readers by avoiding the temptation to give them an overly perfect portrayal. Kids, too, are people, and should not be expected to have idealized Victorian manners, for instance, not even in books for young children. (Actually, for a fun take on this exact issue, read Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown.) Remember, that mean kid in a preschooler's classroom will unfortunately continue to be mean—it is better to aim to teach that change comes gradually, bit by bit. Writing a child character means giving them an experience that truly honors reality and shows that character change is a process.
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