Discover how to write adult characters in children’s books that enhance rather than overshadow young protagonists. Learn proven techniques for creating helpers, obstacles, and mentors that support child agency in middle grade and YA fiction.
Why Your Children’s Book Needs the Right Adult Characters (Not Just “Cool” Ones)
Here’s a mistake that trips up even experienced children’s book authors: creating adult characters who feel more like wish fulfillment for grown-ups than authentic story elements for young readers.
As children’s publishing evolves in 2025 with increased focus on diversity, mental health themes, and authentic character representation, understanding how adults function in children’s literature has never been more critical. The juvenile nonfiction market alone experienced an 18% surge in 2024, signaling readers’ hunger for genuine, relatable content.
Think about the last time you read a middle grade novel where a wise, kind teacher swooped in to solve every problem. How did that make you feel? Probably cheated out of watching the young protagonist actually grow and learn. That’s exactly how young readers feel too.
The central truth about children’s literature: It must be fundamentally about children navigating their worlds, making choices, and experiencing consequences. Adults serve the story—they don’t become the story.
The Power of Child Agency in Children’s Books: What Modern Readers Expect
Beverly Cleary understood something profound when she wrote the Ramona series: five-year-olds might be small, but they’re mighty decision-makers in their own lives.
In Ramona the Pest, young Ramona doesn’t wait passively while her mother plans her kindergarten debut. Instead, she actively shapes every detail—from who escorts her to school (rejecting her sister’s friend who might treat her “like a baby”) to how she’ll handle this major life transition.
This isn’t just charming character development. It’s the blueprint for successful children’s literature across every category:
- Chapter books: Young protagonists learning to navigate peer conflicts and adult expectations independently
- Middle grade fiction: Kids exploring autonomy, testing boundaries, and imagining worlds where they make meaningful decisions without constant parental oversight
- Young adult literature: Teenagers wrestling with emotional complexity, identity formation, and increasingly high-stakes choices
Consider contemporary examples: When Hazel and Augustus decide to visit Amsterdam in John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Hazel’s parents don’t orchestrate the trip. They respond to their daughter’s initiative—offering minimal resistance before supporting her goal. The idea originates with the teens, keeping agency exactly where it belongs.
Three Essential Roles for Adult Characters in Children’s Fiction
Effective adult characters in children’s books fit into three strategic categories. Understanding these archetypes helps you position grown-ups to enhance rather than hijack your story.
1. The Helper: Adults Who Serve Children’s Goals
Instead of dictating what young protagonists should do, helper adults function as resources kids can leverage to achieve their own objectives.
How this works in practice:
The helper doesn’t drive the narrative—they facilitate it. These adults might provide:
- Access to resources the child can’t obtain independently
- Permission that removes obstacles
- Practical assistance once the child has already committed to a course of action
Red flags that your “helper” is actually taking over:
- The adult suggests the protagonist’s main goal
- Grown-ups make key decisions instead of responding to children’s choices
- Adult characters receive more “screen time” solving problems than your young protagonist
Think of helper adults as support staff rather than managers. They work for your protagonist, not instead of them.
2. The Obstacle: Adults as Compelling Antagonistic Forces
Children’s lives contain countless constraints imposed by grown-ups: curfews, homework, parental rules, teacher expectations, institutional regulations. These restrictions create natural, relatable conflict.
Professor Snape exemplifies the obstacle adult throughout most of the Harry Potter series. He’s not evil (well, not entirely), but he makes Harry’s life demonstrably harder. His rules, suspicions, and antagonism force Harry to be more resourceful, strategic, and determined.
Why obstacle adults strengthen children’s fiction:
- They create realistic conflict young readers recognize from their own lives
- Navigating adult-imposed restrictions helps protagonists demonstrate growth and ingenuity
- They raise the stakes without requiring elaborate fantasy elements or contrived disasters
The key distinction: These adults are obstacles in service of your protagonist’s journey. They exist to challenge your main character, not to be the story’s central conflict themselves.
3. The Mentor: Guides Who Teach Without Controlling
Mentors occupy special territory—they’re deeply aligned with your protagonist while maintaining appropriate boundaries around decision-making and agency.
Miss Honey in Matilda perfectly embodies this archetype. She recognizes Matilda’s exceptional abilities, provides encouragement and opportunities, and advocates for her student. But Matilda solves her own problems with the Trunchbull. Miss Honey offers support; Matilda provides action.
The non-negotiable rule for mentor characters: They never tell protagonists exactly what to do.
Effective mentors provide:
- Tools, knowledge, or skills the protagonist can apply independently
- General guidance that requires interpretation and application
- Emotional support during challenging moments
- Recognition and validation of the protagonist’s capabilities
Consider Obi-Wan Kenobi teaching Luke Skywalker. He introduces Luke to the Force, provides foundational training, and offers spiritual wisdom. But Luke must figure out how to destroy the Death Star himself. The mentor illuminates the path; the protagonist walks it.
Common Pitfalls: Where Well-Meaning Authors Go Wrong With Adult Characters
Pitfall #1: The “Cool Adult” Syndrome
Authors sometimes create idealized adult characters who represent how they wish grown-ups had treated them as children. These adults are unfailingly wise, endlessly patient, and preternaturally understanding.
The problem? Young readers don’t need fantasy adults—they need authentic ones who enhance the protagonist’s journey without becoming wish fulfillment for nostalgic writers.
Pitfall #2: Heavy-Handed Lesson Delivery
When adult characters become mouthpieces for moral instruction, stories transform from engaging narratives into sermons. With 2025’s emphasis on mental health themes and emotional intelligence in children’s literature, the temptation to have wise adults explicitly teach these lessons intensifies.
Resist it.
Children learn best through experiencing consequences and drawing their own conclusions—not through benevolent adults explaining life’s lessons in tidy packages.
Pitfall #3: Removing Parents Clumsily
Yes, classic middle grade fiction often eliminates parents (remember James’s rhinoceros-parents in James and the Giant Peach?). But modern readers deserve more sophisticated approaches to creating freedom for young protagonists.
Consider these alternatives to parent-removal:
- Busy, distracted adults who create space for child-driven adventure without disappearing entirely
- Adults with their own compelling problems that prevent helicopter parenting
- Situations where children possess unique knowledge or capabilities adults lack
- Settings where age-appropriate independence is culturally normal
Practical Writing Strategies: Keeping Decision-Making Power Where It Belongs
Strategy #1: Map Your Protagonist’s Decision Points
Before writing each scene involving adults, identify what decision your protagonist needs to make. Then ask: “Could an adult make this choice instead?” If yes, restructure the scene so the child retains agency.
Strategy #2: Test the “Trial and Error” Principle
Authentic learning happens through mistakes and course corrections. When adult characters prevent young protagonists from experiencing natural consequences, they rob readers of satisfying character development arcs.
The test: Could your protagonist learn this lesson through their own experience rather than adult instruction? If so, let them.
Strategy #3: Apply the “Minimum Viable Adult” Rule
Use the least amount of adult intervention necessary to keep your story realistic and safe. Every time an adult solves a problem, ask whether your young protagonist could have managed it with creativity, determination, or help from peers.
Strategy #4: Layer Adult Archetypes
The same adult can shift between helper, obstacle, and mentor roles throughout your narrative. A parent might help in chapter three, create obstacles in chapter seven, and provide mentor-style guidance in chapter fifteen.
This complexity creates realistic adult characters while maintaining your protagonist’s central role.
Age-Appropriate Agency: Tailoring Adult Roles to Your Target Audience
Picture Books (Ages 3-8)
Even very young protagonists need agency within age-appropriate bounds. They might choose their outfit, decide how to solve a friendship problem, or determine their approach to a new experience.
Adults in picture books often provide the framework (going to school, visiting grandma) while the child protagonist navigates the emotional or social challenges within that framework.
Chapter Books and Early Readers (Ages 6-9)
Adults create boundaries and expectations, but protagonists increasingly solve problems independently—especially regarding peer relationships and minor conflicts.
Middle Grade (Ages 8-12)
This age group particularly resonates with stories exploring environmental awareness and social issues, requiring protagonists to grapple with complex problems. Adults become resources and occasional obstacles while kids drive the narrative action.
The classic middle grade setup: Kids discover or understand something adults don’t, creating space for child-led problem-solving.
Young Adult (Ages 12-18)
YA protagonists navigate increasingly high-stakes decisions with minimal adult intervention. Adults might provide perspective, but teenagers make consequential choices about relationships, identity, values, and their futures.
Real-World Application: Revising Your Manuscript With Adult Characters in Mind
Let’s apply these principles to manuscript revision:
Revision Exercise #1: Highlight every adult decision Mark every instance where an adult character makes a choice that impacts your plot. For each one, ask:
- Could my protagonist make this decision instead?
- Does this choice serve my protagonist’s development?
- Am I using this adult to avoid difficult but necessary conflict?
Revision Exercise #2: Count protagonist vs. adult problem-solving
Tally how many problems your young protagonist solves versus how many adults solve for them. The ratio should heavily favor your protagonist.
Revision Exercise #3: Audit adult dialogue for “teachable moments” Search for phrases like “What you need to understand is…” or “The important thing to remember…” These often signal heavy-handed adult wisdom delivery. Rewrite so children discover insights through experience.
The 2025 Context: Writing Adult Characters for Modern Young Readers
Today’s children’s publishing landscape emphasizes authenticity and transparency in creative work, with readers increasingly sophisticated about recognizing when adult characters feel forced or artificial.
Interactive storytelling formats are rising, empowering readers to make choices that affect plot outcomes. This trend reinforces the importance of protagonists who drive action rather than respond passively to adult direction.
Additionally, contemporary children face mounting social complexities around bullying, discrimination, and digital life. Books that show young characters developing strategies to navigate these challenges—without adults swooping in with perfect solutions—resonate powerfully.
Your Action Plan: Writing Adult Characters Who Enhance Child Protagonists
Immediate steps for strengthening adult characters in your children’s book:
- Identify your protagonist’s core journey—what do they need to learn or achieve?
- Map where adults currently impact that journey—helper, obstacle, or mentor?
- Question every adult intervention—does it serve the child’s agency or undermine it?
- Redistribute decision-making power—shift choices from adults to your young protagonist whenever possible
- Layer complexity—allow adult characters to serve different functions at different story points
- Test through trial and error—let your protagonist learn from mistakes rather than adult wisdom
Remember: Children’s literature exists to show young people their power, resilience, and capability. Adult characters should illuminate that truth, not obscure it.
The bottom line: Write adult characters who know their place in children’s stories—supporting from the wings, not commandeering center stage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adult Characters in Children’s Books
Q: Can I include nurturing, supportive parents in middle grade fiction?
Absolutely! Supportive parents work beautifully as long as they support the child’s goals and decisions rather than directing them. The parent’s role is to facilitate the protagonist’s journey, not replace it.
Q: What if my story requires adult expertise (medical knowledge, legal authority, etc.)?
Position adults as resources your protagonist must convince, persuade, or collaborate with. The child should drive the interaction, actively seeking and applying adult knowledge rather than passively receiving it.
Q: How do I handle serious topics like abuse or neglect involving adult characters?
These challenging subjects require sensitivity and age-appropriate handling. Focus on the child protagonist’s resilience, agency, and problem-solving within realistic constraints. Consider consulting sensitivity readers and mental health professionals.
Q: Should adults ever solve problems in children’s books? Yes, when it would be unrealistic for a child to handle something alone (emergency medical care, legal intervention, etc.). The key is ensuring these adult interventions don’t rob your protagonist of their emotional journey or character growth.
Q: Can adult characters be protagonists in middle grade or YA?
Generally, no. Young readers want to see themselves in main characters. Even if adults play significant roles, the protagonist making the key decisions should match your target age group.
Ready to strengthen your children’s manuscript? Review your adult characters through the lens of helper, obstacle, or mentor. Ensure every grown-up serves your young protagonist’s journey rather than stealing their spotlight. Your readers—and your story—will thank you.
What’s your biggest challenge writing adult characters in children’s fiction? The balance between realistic adult presence and child agency remains one of children’s literature’s most nuanced craft elements. Master it, and you’ll create stories that resonate deeply with young readers navigating their own journey toward independence.
