Day 3: Meet the Characters

You're three days in. The habit is working. 📚

By now you've spent some time in your book's world. Today we're going to focus on the people — or creatures, or beings — living in it.

Characters are the heart of any story. The best ones feel so real you forget someone made them up. Today we're going to look closely at who your story is about.

Characters come in all kinds:

The protagonist — the main character, the one we follow and usually root for
The antagonist — the one creating conflict or standing in the way
Supporting characters — friends, family, rivals, mentors — the people who shape the story around the protagonist
Sometimes the most interesting character isn't the obvious one — pay attention to who catches your attention even in small moments

As you read today, notice:

What does your main character want?
What are they afraid of?
How do they treat other people?
What makes them different from anyone you've met in a book before?

Today's Reading Prompt: Read for 10–20 minutes. Focus on your main character. Watch how they move through the story today.

Today's Writing Prompt: Write 2–3 sentences introducing your main character as if you're telling a friend about someone you just met. What is the most interesting thing about them so far? What makes you want to keep following their story?

Tip for parents — ask your child if they see anything of themselves in the main character. You might be surprised by the answer.

See you on Day 4! 📚 — Leah