We had just moved and the library was less than a block away, imagine my mothers delight at story time. Off we went the librarian was maybe 16 but hey I was 4 which meant she was ANCIENT.
Let us call our intrepid librarian Mary, poor Mary started off with Jack and Jill. Mary should have gone with another story the second she laid eyes on my eager face.
The End. Mary smiled, I frowned, I was 4 but I wasn't stupid. My hand shot up, Mary didn't see it coming and was expecting praise instead this is what she got: "Why did they go up the hill, who puts a well on a hill?" If Jill saw him fall why would she try to go down as well, why did Jill want to fall?
Mary looked at my mom, my mom looked at Mary then at me, she nodded she turned to Mary with a smile and said: "Oh that one is Lisbeth" and my mom went back to watching my other sisters. Wendy the second of us four sensed a revolution afoot. "Do we burn the books? she asked me coming out of a sleep stupor. My mother shushed her no book burning my mom said automatically in response to any Wendy suggestion, OK gonna check for the door so we can get out fast.
By this point Mary realized that story time was wrecked. In Mary's defense it wasn't her fault which brings us in a very round about way to the
Great books have great characters which are MOTIVATED by something, anything whether it is finding an albino frog, winning first place for genetically modified pumoranges (half pumpkin half orange) or wanting some ice water.
We all want something every single person, next time a person tell you "I don't want a thing" they are lying they want a trillion more things than you, even Tibetan monks want more enlightenment.
So it is OK make your characters needy, my characters are mature but have as many needs as unsupervised 2 year old with a sugar rush.
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