Characters We Love

Core Idea

Stories have characters -- the people, animals, or creatures the story is about. Some characters become our favorites because we care about what happens to them. We might like a character because they are brave, funny, kind, or because they feel like someone we know. Characters are who make us want to keep listening.

How It's Best Learned

After hearing a story, talk about your favorite character and why you like them. Draw a picture of a character you love. Compare your favorite characters across different books and think about what makes them special to you.

Common Misconceptions

• Thinking characters have to be human; many beloved characters are animals, toys, or made-up creatures.
• Believing you should only like characters who are perfectly good; interesting characters sometimes make mistakes just like real people.
• Assuming everyone will have the same favorite character; different people connect with different characters and that is perfectly fine.

Explainer

Characters are the people, animals, or creatures in stories. They are what make stories come alive. A character might be a girl, a mouse, a brave knight, a talking pig, or a silly cloud. Characters are who do things in the story and who we watch and think about as the story unfolds.

Some characters become our favorites because we care about what happens to them. Maybe a character reminds us of someone we know. Maybe they are funny and make us laugh. Maybe they are brave and do something amazing, or kind and help others, or smart and solve a problem. There are lots of reasons we might love a character! When you find a character you love, you cannot wait to hear what they do next.

Here is something cool: characters do not have to be perfect. In fact, the most interesting characters sometimes make mistakes, feel scared, or have to learn and grow. They are like real people! A character might be stubborn at first but learn to be kind, or they might feel sad but find happiness. When characters have these feelings and make these choices, it makes them feel real and special to us.

And different people love different characters! Maybe your best friend loves a character you do not care as much about, and you love one they do not. That is completely normal and wonderful. Stories have enough love to go around for every character. The characters you love most tell something about who you are and what matters to you.