��ż���

Humans – especially children- think first through imagination rather than reason. Children understand this world through images and stories long before they grasp abstract concepts. This is why we say, “Picture this,” or “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Imagination shapes desire, and desire is central to character formation. It is not enough for children to know what is right; they must learn to love what is right. In an increasingly complex world, children often desire acceptance more than virtue. Stories help redirect those desires by placing before them characters they admire and want to emulate, and characters that ultimately help point them towards understanding and desiring Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

When children connect with literary characters, they begin aligning their hearts toward becoming like them. Over time, this personal investment quietly shapes their loves, helping orient them toward Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. My pastor will remark, “Show me your five closest friends, and I’ll show you who you’ll be in five years.” The same may be true of literature – show me the characters you child loves, and I can glimpse the direction in which they are being formed.

This is why modern celebrity culture can be so corrosive. Past generations emphasized heroes – figures admired for moral courage and virtue. Today, celebrities, with their carefully curated lives, have all too often replaced heroes, and social media has given children (and adults!) the illusion of intimacy. Literature provides a healthier alternative: characters who may be flawed, but who strive toward what is right. The Pevensie children in The Chronicles of Narnia series stumble often, yet they desire goodness- and that desire matters.

Capturing the heart is foundational, and something that excellent literature can do. This becomes even more powerful when paired with personal experience, the second element explored in this mini-series.

Thanks for reading this part of a mini-series! You can read more by continuing below:

• Introduction
• Element 1: Capturing the Heart (you are here!)
• Element 2: Personal Experience
• Element 3: Conduct and Order (coming soon)
• Questions to Ask When Selecting Books (coming soon)
• Also, for a review of books for children (focusing on books often not reviewed), visit our book reviews!��(coming soon)

A note from the author: Much of the content of this mini-series was generated based upon thoughts provided by Books that Build Character by William Kilpatrick, Gregory Wolfe, and Suzanne Wolfe (1994). Much has been re-oriented around the format and opinions of the author of this post, but it is important that credit for initiating the concepts be provided to the original source.