What Makes These Stories Sparkle?

I’ve been thinking about why both Eliana and I get excited whenever we pick up more Berenstain Bears books from the library.

What is it about the characters who live on a sunny dirt road in Bear Country that appeals to so many?

These bears are nuanced. Good-natured Grizzly Gramps and Gran are always sources of wisdom and common sense, and Cousin Fred always has a Bible verse at the ready in the Living Lights series. However, the other main characters and some of the more minor ones are a little harder to predict. Even snooty Queenie McBear showed a little humility when Sister, quite unintentionally, put the snob in her place. And that menacing bully, Too-Tall, had compassion on a wet, shivering kitten.

Complex characters make way for character agency—when the choices they make drive the story. Some things in life just happen to bears and to people, but what Brother and Sister do about the things that happen to them drives the stories we like the best. They make choices, learn from the consequences, and grow.

Character agency leads to character arc, whether from zero to hero, the sad opposite, or something in between. In Do Not Fear, God is Near, Sister Bear has already made much progress in overcoming her fears. But it takes Papa Bear’s gentle encouragement and creativity to help her make that last leap. We see character agency at work in Papa’s wise choice of giving Sister something to do to combat her fears, and Sister’s ready cooperation. In The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Teasing, Brother’s insensitivity comes to a grinding halt after a hard lesson, and the way he applies this valuable lesson makes him a better bear and the school a better place.

I have endeavored to apply these principles in my own stories. Tommy chooses to be creative and helpful and Tina acts with concern and compassion, leading them to the solution for Scissortown’s HUGE problem. Both Marie and Mr. Bee have strong character arcs resulting from the choices they make. And Little Bunny rises out of despondency to create an eight-line literary masterpiece.

Who are your heroes and villains? Can you show how it’s not just what happened, but what they DID with what happened, that drives their story and makes them who they are?