It’s World Book day today – a day devoted to celebrating reading and everything that’s good about books. We love reading here at Hey Me, and to mark the occasion, we thought it would be fun to pay tribute to some of the most well-known protagonists from children’s books. After all, they could all teach us a thing or two about communicating! We’ve assembled a list of our favourite characters as well as key tips we can take from their personality and communication style.

• Pippi Longstocking

Curious, quirky and self-sufficient, there’s an awful lot Pippi Longstocking can teach us about communicating. With her mismatched stockings, freckles and vibrant hair, Pippi stands out, but she is confident within her own skin and will never let anyone shake her self-belief. Pippi radiates positivity and wishes to share her enthusiasm for life with everyone she meets. “Do not wait for people to smile at you. Show them how it’s done!”, Pippi would say, reminding us that if you are positive towards others you’ll reap the benefits. She’s also fearless and always eager to try new things. Innovation occurs thanks to lateral thinkers like Pippi.

• Dorothy Gale from the Wizard of Oz

Dorothy is fairly laid-back for a young girl thrown into a new world that sees her being targeted by a wicked green witch. She shows her fears and vulnerable side but is determined to resolve them on her perilous journey. Despite the fact she is carrying the weight of the world on shoulders, she remains headstrong and takes the time to protect her new friends. Even though she hasn’t known them for long, she would go to any extent to support them. Safe to say – we could all take a leaf out of Dorothy’s book when it comes to journeying into the unknown. She also teaches us to value all the relationships we make – regardless of how long we’ve known the individuals.

• Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter

Dumbledore’s character can be summed up in three words: wise old owl. His wise, calm and powerful nature make him one of the most respected wizards of all time. His contributions to the wizarding world are immeasurable and that’s thanks to his ability to remain composed and intuitive throughout every situation. Dumbledore teaches us that we should always show humbleness in any environment regardless of the position we hold. He’s well aware that people look up to him as a leader, yet he recognises that everything he advises will not always be right.

• The BFG

If the BFG could teach us anything about communications, it would be that being kind gets you places. On paper, you might be fearful of making friends with him in the middle of the night, but the bond he forms with orphan, Sophie, serves as a strong reminder that we should always give people a chance. The BFG also teaches us that “two wrongs don’t make a right”. Even though he opposes to the other giants’ brutal treatment of humans, he doesn’t treat them in the same way back. Instead, he visits the queen to formulate a peaceful plan. This is a great example of how we should conduct ourselves in the workplace. Even if someone we work with is unjust to us, we should still try our best to treat them with respect.

• Matilda

There are so many valuable lessons Matilda can teach us about communications and life in general. Until she goes to school and meets Miss Honey, Matilda has no one around her who values how intelligent she is. Her family’s lack of support, however, doesn’t stop her from reading and studying. This is a good lesson learned in that, sometimes people around you won’t always recognise your strengths, but that shouldn’t stop you from carrying on and fulfilling you dreams. Don’t be afraid to highlight your strengths and blow your own trumpet from time to time too – just like Matilda did with her math skills.

So, there you have it, a list of communication lessons from our favourite book characters. It’s safe to say, they can teach us an awful lot! If you’d like to learn more about what we can do to support your communications, head over to our contact page to get in touch.