When I began writing this article, I brainstormed a list of potential characters I wanted to include. The list had forty-eight names on it. Needless to say, I absolutely love children’s literature, and this was incredibly difficult. This list only includes characters from picture books, not chapter books (that’s another article!). Now without further ado, let’s get started!
- Lilly (Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes)
Starting off extremely strong, allow me to introduce you to Lilly, the most stylish mouse in children’s literature. She makes an appearance in many of Henkes’s other books, but in this one, she is truly the star. Lilly is quite a character with her red cape, matching cowboy boots, crown, and infamous purple purse. The purse holds an exciting array of items, including a pair of bedazzled glasses. Lilly’s expressive personality tends to get her into trouble, especially when she can’t stop talking about the contents of her purse, but Lilly is my favorite because she displays a wide range of emotions and is understood by the people around her. Her teacher has to confiscate the purse, but understands how upset she is, and leaves space for her to express her anger, sadness, and finally acceptance as she apologizes. This list is not in order, but if I’m being honest, Lilly is my all-time favorite; this book is a love letter to girls with big emotions everywhere <3
Best quote: “Today was a difficult day. Tomorrow will be better.”
2. Frances (Frances the Badger series, by Russel Hoban)
When picking out posters for my dorm room, there was one I knew needed to be included—a scene from Best Friends for Frances displaying Frances and her sister Gloria with a sign that reads “Best Friends Outing. No Boys Allowed.” To this day, the Frances books include some of the funniest anecdotes that I’ve ever come across, and my family’s vocabulary is littered with Frances quotes. Frances is the definition of a flawed yet lovable character. She is stubborn: eating only bread and jam for days until finally breaking down after the rest of her family sits down for a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. She is creative: inventing imaginary friends and “running away from home” to the living room as she attempts to cope with her sister commanding her parents’ attention. She can be jealous and self-centered, like when she “accidentally” eats the birthday candy she bought for her sister. In the end, though, she always proves herself to be a valuable friend, a protective sibling, and a hilarious character in this timeless book series.
Best quote: “‘Well, I’m not sure’, said Frances. ‘Maybe you’ll be best friends when it is goodies in the hamper time, but how about when it is no girls baseball time?’” (Best Friends for Frances)
3. Gerald/Elephant (Elephant and Piggie series, by Mo Willems)
Gerald is one half of an iconic duo. Always accompanied by his best friend Piggie, Gerald has an anxious demeanor that offsets Piggie’s cheerfulness. I almost feel bad picking a favorite between these two, but for me, Gerald’s nervousness adds a layer of depth to his character that many children’s books lack. Gerald reminds me a bit of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh; he consistently displays negative emotions, but his friends are determined to cheer him up—and never leave him. Albeit careful, Gerald is not boring. With some encouragement, he is always willing to join a party or dress up in silly costumes. He particularly shines in my personal favorite installment, We Are in a Book!. As he and Piggie realize they are “being read”, Gerald eloquently ponders the question: what will happen to him when the book ends?
Best quote: “I am trying to take a nap because I am TIRED and CRANKY!” (We Are in a Book!)
4. Rubina (Big Red Lollipop, by Rukhsana Khan)
It’s time for our first human character! This one is a little less well-known, but it’s certainly a highlight for me. Rubina is the older sister to Sana and Maryam. They come from an immigrant family, and when Rubina comes home with a birthday party invitation, her mother does not understand the custom and makes Rubina take Sana along with her. Sana causes a scene at the party, and when they get home, she even eats Rubina’s lollipop from her goodie bag. Years later, Sana is invited to a party, but before their mother can suggest anything, Rubina steps in and convinces her not to force Sana to take Maryam. Rubina is a fantastic demonstration of maturity and growth as she cares for her sister. She breaks this cycle of embarrassment for her sister, who now understands what Rubina had been experiencing, and brings Rubina a lollipop from the party. As an older sister, Rubina will always be close to my heart.
Best quote: “She hands me a big green lollipop…after that we’re friends.”
5. Madeline (Madeline series, by Ludwig Bemelmans)
The beloved Madeline has been a fixture in children’s literature for decades. Fun fact: I once dressed up as Madeline for Halloween! Spunky and determined, Madeline gets up to all sorts of antics as a boarding school student in Paris. I love Madeline because she wanders through life without any hesitation and appears to be entirely independent, even though she is a child under the care of adults. Madeline is brave and resourceful. Even after sickness and injuries that definitely scare her, she continues to venture out and join the circus, befriend stray cats, and inspire girls everywhere to embrace their appendectomy scars.
Best quote: “The smallest one was Madeline” (Madeline)
6. Miss Nelson (Miss Nelson is Missing!, by Harry Allard)
I’ll be honest, this book terrified me as a kid. Miss Nelson, the kind-hearted teacher of a misbehaving class, goes on vacation for a week. In her place, the terrifying Miss Viola Swamp comes to school and cracks down on the class full of troublemakers. The students launch an investigation, worried that Miss Nelson will be gone forever. Miss Nelson suddenly returns to the class, who are now more appreciative than ever, but Miss Viola Swamp is nowhere to be found. In the end, it is revealed to the reader that Miss Viola Swamp was Miss Nelson in disguise. This storyline used to scare me, but now I love Miss Nelson because she is more complicated than she initially seems. She finally refuses to be taken advantage of, creatively plotting a foolproof method that makes her students respect her. Miss Nelson/Miss Viola Swamp contains multitudes, and I love her for it.
Best quote: “When it was time for bed she sang a little song. ‘I’ll never tell,’ she said to herself with a smile.”
7. Babar (Babar series, by Jean de Brunhoff)
Somehow I’ve ended up including two male elephants on this short list, but Babar simply cannot be forgotten. Young Babar flees the jungle after seeing his mother get shot by a hunter. He overcomes this adversity and eventually becomes King of the Elephants after running away to a city. Babar is wise, consulting others on how best to run his kingdom, and brave, leading the elephants to victory in their war with the rhinoceroses. He is also extremely stylish with his signature red bow tie and bright green suit. Babar is an icon whose influence spans continents (the original Babar story was in French!).
Best quote: “Well satisfied with his purchases and feeling very elegant indeed, Babar now goes to the photographer to have his picture taken” (The Story of Babar).
8. Eloise (Eloise series, by Kay Thompson)
Eloise is literally the diva to end all divas. She lives at the Plaza Hotel in a suite adorned with pink items (a girl after my own heart). She has a nanny and two pets: Weenie the dog and Skipperdee the turtle. Like many other characters on this list, Eloise has a tendency to cause mischief. She gallivants around the hotel creating mayhem and has a personal relationship with all of the staff. I love the way she has a unique voice as a character, combining French (ish) influences with general posh-seeming phrases. Nobody in Eloise’s world can contain her—they’re just along for the ride.
Best quote: “Nanny says she would rawther I didn’t talk talk talk all the time. She always says everything 3 times like Eloise you cawn’t cawn’t cawn’t” (Eloise).
9. Strega Nona (Strega Nona, by Tomie dePaola)
Strega Nona, a witchy older woman in an Italian village, is one of the characters that brings me the most comfort. With her wisdom and mysterious pasta spells, Strega Nona is incredibly charming. When Big Anthony, the man she enlists to help her with chores, cannot get her magic pot to stop producing pasta, she comes up with the perfect consequence: he must eat all of it. Strega Nona is no-nonsense yet delightful. Her methods seem simple but actually require attention to detail, and when Big Anthony fails to appreciate this, Strega Nona’s meticulous and wise ways become even more apparent.
Best quote: “Although all the people in town talked about her in whispers, they all went to see her if they had troubles.”
10. Winnie the Pooh (Winnie the Pooh series, by A.A. Milne)
Let’s end on a classic. Winnie the Pooh has defined children’s literature for almost 100 years and needs no introduction. Pooh’s story resonates with all ages (I’m speaking from experience—shoutout to my Winnie-the-Pooh-themed 17th birthday party!). Pooh and his lovable band of animal friends are hilarious and adorable while also remaining deeply touching. Chapter ten of The House at Pooh Corner really illustrates this for me: Christopher Robin has to leave the forest, and after the animals serenade him with a ridiculous song, Pooh and Christopher Robin go on a walk together. As they walk, Christopher makes Pooh promise that he won’t ever forget about him, and Pooh says he won’t, not even when he’s 99. To me, this is what makes Winnie the Pooh such a wonderful character—he makes the simplest moments extremely moving.
Best quote: “‘I wasn’t afraid,’ said Pooh, said he, ‘I’m never afraid with you’” (Now We Are Six).
And that’s ten! I hope you enjoyed this nostalgic deep dive. Look out for more articles like this—perhaps one for chapter books next? To close, here are my honorable mentions: Max (Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak), Olivia (Olivia series, by Ian Falconer), Little Bear (Little Bear series, by Else Holmelund Minarik), and Marian (Roxaboxen, by Alice McLerran).
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