Magic in Stories for Children: Part Six - Mystical Powers

Some stories featuring magic feature a mystical power, which is present in everything in the world, all around us, or is sometimes found in objects such as magical symbols, a mysterious ring, a precious stone or charm that a character can access. Wizards, witches and sorcerers often have the power to manipulate one or more of the natural elements, control mystical energy within the human body and many stories strongly feature the mysterious power of the subconscious mind. While many of these traditions, practices and beliefs may be briefly touched upon in a children’s story, they are not usually as fully developed as they would be in a story for adults or even one for teenagers.

However, although as a rule the older the child, the more sophisticated the concepts can be, this does not necessarily mean that the narrative has to be overly simplified for younger readers. While many of the complexities of the magical world frequently feature in books for children, they are less prevalent in novels for younger readers than in those for middle grades and those aimed at teenagers. However, the story still has to be believable. It may feature outrageous monsters or people with fabulous powers, but still has to be rooted in the real world or the reader will quickly lose interest.

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