Laugh, Boo, Gasp: The Magic of Villains in Kid Lit
When you think back to the books that haunted you as a child, what do you remember most—the hero, or the villain? Chances are it’s the villain who lingers. The Big Bad Wolf, Miss Trunchbull, Cruella de Vil—these are the characters who crawled into our imaginations, making us laugh, gasp, or hide under the covers.
I recently had the honor of presenting How to Create Compelling Villains in Children’s Books at the Killer Nashville Conference—where I was also deeply humbled to win the Claymore Award for Best Children’s Book. The timing felt perfect: nothing underscores the importance of villains quite like writing for young readers who love to be scared—but not too scared.
Why Villains Are Essential in Kid Lit
Villains matter because they do so much heavy lifting in a story. They externalize fear, they raise the stakes, they provide moral contrast, and, let’s face it—they’re just plain fun. Children love to boo, hiss, and giggle at a larger-than-life scoundrel. A good villain isn’t merely “bad”; they embody something deeper:
Fear in tangible form (The Gruffalo, Jabberwocky)
Jealousy and insecurity (Draco Malfoy)
Mischief without morality (Cat in the Hat, Rumplestiltskin)
Corrupt authority (Miss Trunchbull)
Dark reflection of the hero (Bellatrix, Prince Humperdinck)
Through these figures, children not only learn about danger but also about courage, resilience, and moral choices.
Archetypes That Still Haunt Us
Why do witches, stepmothers, and crones keep showing up in kid lit? These archetypes embody the shadow side of adulthood. They represent discipline, control, and jealousy—the parts of authority children instinctively mistrust. At the same time, they’re unforgettable: warts, cloaks, cackles, and all. Characters like Baba Yaga remind us that villains often hold a dual nature. They can curse or bless, threaten or test, terrify or transform.
What Makes a Villain Compelling
A cardboard villain won’t cut it. The best villains are layered, with motivations and flaws that make their twisted logic feel believable. They are:
Motivated: They want something—fame, revenge, control—and the pursuit makes them dangerous.
Psychologically rich: Even villains fear rejection and loneliness.
Surprisingly relatable: Children may secretly understand the fear of being overlooked, or the desire for power.
Language, too, is key. Villains often speak in rhyme, alliteration, or pompous diction. Think of Rumplestiltskin’s singsong menace or Cruella’s haughty sneer. Their voices act as linguistic costumes, setting them apart from the honest clarity of the hero.
Humor + Horror: The Sweet Spot
The trick to writing villains for children is finding the balance between frightening and fun. Kids love the thrill of fear when it’s wrapped in humor—slapstick tumbles, outrageous obsessions, or over-the-top meltdowns. Captain Hook trips over his own ego, the Grinch throws a fit over roast beast, and suddenly the villain becomes both terrifying and irresistible.
A villain gives the hero meaning. Without a wolf, the pigs have no houses to defend. Without Cruella, the puppies remain ordinary. Villains create conflict, tension, and the unforgettable spark that keeps children turning pages.
Or, as Shirley Jackson once wrote: “I delight in what I fear.” That delight is precisely what keeps villains alive in children’s literature—and why we must continue to craft them with care, depth, and a wicked sense of fun.