Master the Five Types of Children’s Book Plots

 

More than 70 years ago, writing teacher Odessa Davenport analyzed hundreds of children’s picture books, novels, and magazine stories and concluded that fiction fell into one of five basic plot patterns. Author Jane Fitz-Randolph learned these patterns, proved them in her own writing, and taught them to her students.

Based on their work, here is a summary of the five plot types commonly found in children’s fiction.

If you’re still shaping the basic idea for your story, begin here:
Turn Your Idea Into a Book.

 

1. Linear Incidents

This is the simplest plot pattern and works especially well for board books and picture books aimed at younger children, roughly ages 2–5.

In a linear incidents story, the main character moves through a series of events and responds to each one before moving on to the next.

The structure is sequential:

• One thing happens
• Then the next
• Then the next

Each scene carries about equal weight, and the action moves quickly toward a satisfying, playful, or funny ending.

In this kind of story, the character is not usually pursuing a major goal, and by the end of the book the character is essentially the same person he or she was at the beginning.

The pleasure comes from the rhythm of the events, the humor, and the charm of the characters.

 

2. Accomplishing a Purpose or Goal

In this pattern, the story begins with a main character pursuing a clear purpose or goal that seems difficult or even impossible to achieve.

The middle of the story shows the character making progress, hitting obstacles, and suffering setbacks until the plot reaches a crisis and climax.

By the end, the character achieves the goal—or solves the problem—through his or her own deliberate actions.

This kind of plot requires careful planning because the ending must grow naturally from both:

• The situation
• The character’s abilities and choices

The main character should succeed by using one or more of the following:

• Courage
• Ingenuity
• Special ability or capacity

That special ability may be physical, intellectual, natural, or learned.

If your story idea is in place but the plot feels shaky or underdeveloped, this may help:
I’m Stuck.

 

3. A Wish Granted

In this type of story, the main character begins by wanting something that seems almost impossible to get.

Unlike a goal-driven plot, however, the character makes little or no sustained effort to make the wish come true. There may be a brief attempt, but it is quickly abandoned.

Then a series of dramatic or interesting events unfolds that seems unrelated to the original wish.

In the end, the character receives the wish—or something close enough to satisfy it—as a logical result of everything that has happened.

The character gets what he or she wants not because of determined striving, but because of:

• Who the character is
• The character’s personality or gifts
• An unselfish act done without expectation of reward

This pattern can feel magical, but it still has to make sense within the story world.

 

4. Misunderstanding, Realization, and Change

This plot begins with the main character holding a genuine, deeply rooted misunderstanding about a situation, another person, or even himself or herself.

The character acts on that misunderstanding.

The middle of the story presents dramatic events that begin to challenge what the character believes. Even so, the character usually clings to the mistaken belief for as long as possible.

At the climax, the character comes to a realization: he or she has been wrong.

This moment of recognition must arise directly from the events of the story. The character cannot simply be told the truth by someone else, nor should the realization happen by accident.

In a final, decisive act, the character changes course and chooses a new way of seeing or acting just before the story ends.

This is a powerful plot pattern for all age groups, but it can easily become preachy if handled too heavily.

The key is to let the character discover the truth through experience rather than through author lectures.

If your draft feels too explanatory or message-heavy, you may want to revise with that in mind:
I Have a Draft.

 

5. Moral Dilemma

This story type can be used for any age group, but it is especially powerful in novels.

The main character faces a clear problem that cannot be solved easily. The problem forces the character to choose between a morally right action and a morally wrong one.

The right choice may not be obvious at first. But in general:

• The morally right choice brings trouble, sacrifice, or pain
• The morally wrong choice brings relief, reward, or immediate satisfaction

For this plot to work, the reader must care deeply about the character and feel invested in what the character decides.

The middle of the story shows the character wavering between the two options, often leaning more heavily toward the wrong one.

By the end, events cause the character to make the right choice—but those events must grow logically from everything that has already happened in the book.

Once the decision is made, the story usually ends quickly.

 

How to Choose the Right Plot Pattern

Not every story idea fits every plot type.

When deciding which structure works best, ask yourself:

• Is my character pursuing a clear goal?
• Is this story mainly a chain of entertaining incidents?
• Does the story center on a mistaken belief that must change?
• Is the emotional heart of the story a difficult moral choice?
• Does the character long for something that arrives indirectly?

Once you identify the underlying plot pattern, the story usually becomes easier to shape. You can make better decisions about structure, pacing, conflict, and ending.

And when your manuscript is complete and you’re preparing for the next stage, start here:
I’m Ready to Publish.

 

Related topics

Learn more with these free guides:

• Turn Your Idea Into a Book
• Develop Great Characters
• How to Write a Children’s Book: A Beginner’s Guide
• Build a Story Chapter by Chapter
• Children’s Book Word Counts By Age Group