Characters make the story. Writers have heard this adage for some time, but good characterization can be difficult to accomplish.  Characters must come alive, be the center of the tale with human qualities, emotions and desires. 

Characterization in children's fiction varies dependent upon the targeted age group.  Characterization for very young children in picture books is indicated mainly through pictures.  Once the age group advances, the characterization becomes more complex.  For example, Lee Wyndham writes in Writing for Children & Teenagers that "In books for eight- to twelve-year-olds, the character is more complex, reacting strongly to his or her world, self, problems, and the people around him or her.  He must have a number of character traits, a definite personality.  Your reader should feel that if he or she met your character on the street, the reader would recognize him or her.”

Editors will often complain that “the characters didn't jump off the page and make me care enough about what was happening to them -- instead, I found my interest wandering.”  The behavior of the character must stay consistent with the character’s traits, but also must be interesting.  Making your character interesting means filling the character with life and emotion.  This is aided by creating realistic settings, as discussed elsewhere on this webpage.