The strongest and most interesting protagonists are those who grow or change in some way throughout the story, which stands to reason if they are working to solve the story’s conflict.

The change doesn’t have to be big, especially if you’re writing a short story or picture book. In most cases, these protagonists often gain new information or learn an important lesson about themselves, about life, or about others—and they need to reach these conclusions on their own rather than being told what to think by another character (although other characters can certainly help lead them to these conclusions) .

The lesson learned by your main character is the same lesson you want your reader to get from the story, and your protagonist needs to be the one learning it right along with the reader. This will help your reader relate to and make connections with your main character, thus connecting with the story as a whole.