The Right Story at the Right Time

At age 6, children may:

• begin, with guidance, to consider underlying reasons for a character's behavior
• be better able to recognize more subtle emotions in characters (for example, disappointment, confusion, frustration, embarrassment, and panic), even though they may not have the vocabulary for them
• gradually realize that a character's actions and intentions could be contradictory
• respond to stories that show triumph over adversity

At age 7, children may:

• use their growing vocabulary to discuss characters' virtues, shortcomings, and motives, such as envy
• be attracted to stories that address accepting individual differences and showing tolerance
• appreciate that mixed emotions are possible
• read and invent stories that depict powerful emotional responses and changes in the characters