My favorite Taylor Swift song is called “Enchanted.” It is a lovely song that weaves a spell of happiness and delight at meeting a person for the first time. The person singing the song is so hoping that the object of their enchantment is not looking into someone else’s eyes and feeling the same way.
When you are enchanted it’s as if you are placed under a magic spell. You are made to feel delightfully pleased and charmed.
Creating a feeling of enchantment is so important when writing and reading children’s stories. A writer of these types of stories must delight, fascinate, and use words in a magical way. Fantasy and fairy stories bring fanciful, whimsical, and even ethereal words to the reader. The writer creates a sense of wonder with words.
Writer Roald Dahl said, “A good story must enthrall the child.” (Paraphrasing)
When writing a story for children, or even for adults, it is extremely important to incorporate the five senses into the story.
Sight-What does the reader see? Does the reader see a beautiful, lush garden, a sandy beach, or the devastation after a fire?
Sound-What does the reader hear? Does the reader hear a rushing stream, birds chirping, small animal scurrying about?
Taste-Can the reader taste the berries on the vine or fruit on the trees?
Smell-What does the enchanted forest smell like? Does the reader smell pine needles, fallen leaves?
Touch/Feel-Do the animals have soft or bristly fur? Is the ground soft from moss?
When I write my stories, I work hard to be very descriptive. It helps the reader see the characters and the scenery more clearly.
I realize, in this modern world, that it is challenging to see or feel enchantment. However, it is so necessary to try and find it, I believe, for our own sanity and for our children’s well-being. So, look for enchanting stories and read them with your children.