The Personality Types of your Favorite Children’s Books Characters
The characters in the books we loved as kids have a significant impact in our lives. They find a place in our hearts, shaping how we see the world and often, how we see ourselves. In honor of National Children’s Book Week, we wanted to explore the personality profiles of our favorite children’s book characters -- one for every Myers-Briggs type. Enjoy!
INFP: The Little Prince
The titular character in the 1943 novella embodies the thoughtful idealist personification of the INFP personality profile. The Little Prince is sensitive and inquisitive, searching for meaning in an effort to make sense of the world he lives in. Throughout his journey, he is reflective, compassionate, and vulnerable, letting his Intuitive and Perceiving nature take him from planet to planet. He is driven by his Feelings and once he understands his values and how to use them to mend the friendship he ran away from, he returns home.
INFJ: The Velveteen Rabbit
When we first meet the Velveteen Rabbit, he is quiet and shy compared to the rest of the toys. His Intuitive nature focuses on the endless possibilities of how to become Real, while his Judging side would prefer the entire process to be less messy and a bit more precise than it’s described. He longs to Feel love and friendship so much that when the Boy opens his heart to him, their relationship becomes the Rabbit’s sole focus. In the end, his love and loyalty call a fairy, who turns him into a Real Rabbit where he can thrive and live a life of meaning.
ENFJ: Mary Poppins
ENFJs are often personified as teachers, and Mary Poppins is an ENFJ to her core. Her Extraverted nature is determined to bring joy into every task whether it’s taking medicine or tidying the nursery and her Judging side has plans within plans with backup plans just in case. This works fluidly with her Intuitive side, helping her navigate which approach to take depending on the situation. But it’s the fact that she Feels deeply for her charges that makes her more than a nanny or a teacher; it makes her “practically perfect in every way”.
ENFP: Willy Wonka
The vivacious Willy Wonka is the epitome of an ENFP. Extraverted to the max, he lets his Intuition guide him into making products that are more than just candy, they are experiences. And though he follows his Perceiving nature, flitting from one whimsy to the next, it’s his Feelings that drive him. It isn’t just about making the perfect candy or creating a memorable experience, it’s how people Feel that is important to Wonka. So much that he creates the entire Golden Ticket experience to find the right person, the kid with the heart of gold, to inherit his factory.
INTJ: Bunnicula
Bunnicula may appear soft and sweet, but beneath his fluffy fur and floppy ears, he’s a true INTJ mastermind. Don’t mistake his quiet Introverted ways for a shy bunny. Instead, he’s constantly Thinking, leaning into his Judgement traits by making plans and relying on his Intuition to find exactly the right moment to execute them. Even with Chester constantly trying to thwart his attempts to eat veggie juice at midnight, Bunnicula is stoic and calm, relying on his quiet determination to simply reach his goals: to eat and be left alone.
ENTJ: Nancy Drew
Though the character has gone through a series of evolutions since her arrival on the literary scene in 1930, her core traits have remained fairly consistent. A detective at heart, Nancy in a Thinker through and through. Her Extraverted personality means she isn’t afraid to ask questions of anyone, boldly pursuing any and every lead she discovers. She follows her Intuitive gut, but relies on her Judging abilities to create methodical, logical plans for her every move. She isn’t afraid to take command of any situation, making her bold nature impossible to ignore.
ENTP: Curious George
Curious about everything and energized by anything he considers a challenge; Curious George is always open for adventure. His Extraverted traits work in tandem with his constantly Thinking mind, making him not just friendly and clever, but the ultimate team player. Because there’s always a puzzle to solve, George gets into trouble when his Intuition and Perceiving side take over, wanting to follow his own path believing rules are meant to be bent rather than followed. Luckily, ENTP’s are good-natured and even when things end in disaster, George is always ready to move on to the next adventure.
INTP: Matilda
The epitome of an Introvert, Matilda Wormwood is perfectly content with her nose in a book. A self-taught scholar, she’s not simply passionate about learning; it’s her primary motivator in life. Her Thinking and Intuitive traits mean she’s constantly coming up with new and interesting experiments, largely pranks she plays on her parents––she is only five, after all! Fiercely independent, Matilda doesn’t always adhere to how things should be, instead she stays open, letting her Perceiving side collect information. And in Matilda’s case, this leads to quite extraordinary results.
ESFJ: Charlotte – Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte A. Cavatica embodies the Provider traits of the ESFJ to a tee. She’s sensitive and practical, maternal and wise. Her Extraverted side welcomes Wilber to the barn, where she immediately Feels a bond with the young pig. Attuned to the farm, Charlotte’s Sensing side understands what’s at stake and she uses her methodical Judging abilities to come up with a solid plan: weaving words in her web to capture human attention. Her plan works, and even though she’s at the end of her days, she knows Wilber is going to be okay.
ESFP: The Cat In The Hat
Charming and energetic, the Cat in the Hat has one goal, and that’s to have fun. He is an Extravert with a Capital E, looking to make friends wherever he goes. His style of play is immersed in his Sensing traits, focused on bringing every sense into the experience, with an added Feeling emphasis on making sure everyone is having a good time. Of course, his Perceiving side sometimes lets things get a bit out of control, as he bounces from one game to the next, searching for just the right one that everybody will love. When he does realize his antics aren’t appreciated, his Sensing-Feeling tendencies shine through as he makes sure to clean the house and leave everyone with a smile on their face.
ISFJ: Winnie-the-Pooh
A social Introvert, Winnie-the-Pooh has a tight-knit social group that is his top priority. A Feeler through and through, he is always there for his friends. Outside of finding delicious honey, nothing makes him happier than being called a clever bear when he uses his Sensing side to find practical solutions to solve problems. Of course, his Judging tendencies means he likes to follow routines before setting off on an adventure, but they also make him loyal and reliable. But Pooh is at his best when his Feeling-Sensing attributes take over and he drops profound but simple nuggets of wisdom to help make things better during difficult times.
ISFP: The BFG
The Big Friendly Giant, or BFG, is a quiet Introvert, who doesn’t mind living away from the rest of his giant siblings or moving through the night to deliver pleasant dreams to children. He’s shy but once he lets people in, he is cheerful and warm. A Sensing-Feeling artist, he uses these abilities to create happy dreams, and always throws out the nightmares. Thanks to his Perceiving traits, he’s open to discovering delightful new experiences––like whizzpoppers after drinking a frobscottle. But when the children are threatened by his brothers, he steps up to help Sophie execute her plan to save the day.
ESTJ: Paddington Bear
Charming and friendly, the Extraverted Paddington Bear loves marmalade and life. Driven by his always Thinking mind, he strives to understand the world around him. His Judging tendencies shine through in his politeness, because he believes there is always a right way to do things. This precision, combined with his Sensing traits, frequently gets him in trouble, though, as he applies what he knows without considering what he doesn’t. Through his Thinking logic, he learns from his mistakes and his desire to do what’s right makes every disaster a learning experience.
ESTP: The Mouse - If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
The Mouse shows us his dynamic personality on almost every page. His Extraverted side isn’t afraid to make new friends or ask for what he wants. Every escalation of his requests is rooted in his logical Thinking tendencies combined with his Sensing traits. He sees a problem in his immediate environment and applies obvious solutions. His Perceiving nature means he’s very go-with-the-flow, making decisions on a whim according to what’s happening. He’s playful, energetic, and a ton of fun, even if he’s unaware of how demanding his requests truly are.
ISTJ: Susan Pevensie - The Chronicles of Narnia
It makes sense that as an ISTJ, Susan Pevensie would eventually gain the title Queen Susan the Gentle. Her Introverted side can make her appear shy, but she’s actually rarely alone. Her logical Thinking side combined with her Judging traits mean Susan is always the voice of reason throughout the series. She isn’t afraid of hard work, but her Sensing tendencies sometimes make it harder for her to believe the fantastical, even when the evidence is right in front of her. Though she accepts Narnia, she prefers to stay within the reality she knows, believing it’s her duty to grow up and leave childish games behind.
ISTP: Jonas - The Giver
Quiet, Introverted Jonas was the perfect choice as the next Receiver of Memories if the Community was as ideal as they claimed. But it wasn’t. Once his Thinking-Sensing traits learned the truth, he reached a common-sense conclusion: to destroy the Sameness. He and the Giver come up with a plan, but when he finds out the baby Gabriel is going to be killed instead of released, Jonas’ Perceiving instincts take over, and he takes the baby. His Sensing side keeps him focused on the practical side of survival, ensuring that he reaches safety and saves Gabriel.
