How to Craft Children's Characters in Children's Books.

Go back to your childhood days, and the people you remember, from all those years ago, are people who had something "larger than life" about them. They had a magic about them, that made you believe anything was possible in their company.

When writing for kids, I believe that colorful characters are important, and in order to create reader appeal, aspects of personality need to be spotlighted, and signposted, to make the character shine.

When I crafted Snugs, my hero polar bear, I took into account his genetic characteristics that come from being a polar bear - his furriness, his superb sense of smell, his human-like undulating walk, his love of the cold, and made him "different" from other polar bears, by giving him a kind, lovable personality, and, as if by magic, "human characteristics." He has endearing idiosyncrasies, that make him as colorful as any cartoon, but credible, too!

To make my bear believable, I allowed him the occasional "Grr," and to show his claws, when annoyed. I also showed how Snugs liked to be solitary, and aloof.

The plot of my adventure story highlights the character of my bear, by showing forth the choices he makes, how he behaves, and interacts with others, what motivates him, and is important to him, and what his goals and purposes are. I hint at the hidden side of his personality - the mysterious, magical, supernatural aspects of his character in this book, too.

This magical aspect is developed in my "Snugs Series," and draws on indigenous people's notion that polar bears, the most majestic of animals, do indeed have extraordinary powers. The young reader gets to understand Snugs' inner life, and his secret fears, hopes, wishes, and dreams. Snugs' dreams are ones which, with a little fairy dust, and help from his friends, he has the capacity to realize.

Snugs has many great strengths, and adaptability, a sign of great intelligence, is one of them, but to make him three-dimensional was important. He has weaknesses, which he has to overcome on his journey. 

The back-story - Snugs' history - which is portrayed in dialogue, shows how Snugs must adjust to his new circumstances, and take into account the different environments, and people he encounters, in order to thrive. 

Scrapes which Snugs gets into in “The Snugs Series” - and overcomes - make him all the more endearing and attractive to his young audience. I can't emphasize enough how essential it is that children are emotionally moved and inspired by a character; they care about what happens to Snugs Bear, which teaches them empathy! 

Just as situations and their challenges bring out my bear's personality, other characters in the book balance Snugs' character, and bring out different aspects of him. Snugs and his animal menagerie of friends will entertain children, and make children smile, and laugh. The story also teaches children. Conflicts, and the team approach to their resolution, show what my characters are made of, and they are good role models for children, with a can-do attitude.

Snugs Bear is ideal for children to grow with, since in Book One he is a young bear, and an ideal role model, being just a few years older than his readership. He is polite, sensitive, charismatic and kind. He is a leader, who has the capacity to learn from others, and show others how to do things. The way Snugs speaks makes him easy for kids to relate to. Children like to identify with him, since it reassures them when they admire, and "look up to," a like-able, lovable older character.

The world in my book is an exciting place, where the fantastic is present alongside the everyday, and magic happens! Loyalty, friendship and team spirit all bring rewards, and the characters grow to have a strong sense of who they are, and where they belong.

Snugs develops in the course of time; his engagement with the world brings about changes in him as he matures, and gains a stronger sense of what he can do. As he gains in self-confidence, he begins to shape his immediate environment. He learns he has power in the world, no matter how small he may be.

Children have a shorter attention span than adults, and being with Snugs, as he develops, helps to create surprises, and excitement, in the story-line. Children enjoy secrets, too, and they, the readers, are in the unique position of knowing all Snugs’ inward thoughts. This “friendship” with Snugs, makes his appeal universal, and timeless.

Timelessness is an important aspect of children’s books, when the characters are crafted in such a way that what they stand for, and the messages they convey, will still be relevant, and true, in generations to come.

Perhaps my most important advice for making great children’s book characters, and an entertaining, enjoyable read, is to hear, see, and feel the world, and your characters, not only from an author’s point of view, but also from the point of view of a child.

Copyright, Suzy Davies, 06/05/2017. All Rights Reserved.