How Fictional Stories Shape Young Minds Without Them Even Realizing It

You must have read something that hit differently in your childhood. What happens is that you open the book, start reading, and the story takes you somewhere else completely. You feel that you're present in your room but in a forest, a train yard, or a wonderful island, or you may even talk to something that can never talk in reality... It could be a train. And interestingly, it feels real.

That’s the magic of fictional stories.

Fiction stories are not just stories. They sneak into your brain and start building little rooms in there. Places that you remember, even when the book goes long.

It’s funny how those “pretend” stories sometimes feel more real than anything else.

It’s Not Just About Imagination

People like to say “fiction boosts creativity”, and yes, it does. But honestly, that sounds like school talk. Fiction does more than help you imagine things. It makes you feel things when you didn’t even know you could.

A few examples:

1. You read about a kid who doesn’t fit in? Suddenly, you don’t feel so weird anymore.

2. You follow a girl who figures things out her way? You start thinking maybe your way’s not so wrong either.

3. You get sad when the dog dies, and of course, you cry. And maybe next time your friend’s sad, you actually get it a little better. Fiction does that. Quietly. Without a lesson plan.

You don’t realize it’s changing you, but it is.

Sometimes Escape Isn’t Bad

Some adults think kids should only read “real” things. You know, stuff with facts and purpose. But real life already has plenty of reality. Kids know that. Sometimes you just want to go somewhere else for a while. It's not about running away but about finding a place to breathe.

Fiction gives you that. And the crazy part is, while you’re escaping, you’re still growing.

• You're picking up new words without even trying.
• You're solving problems in your head without anyone telling you to.
• You're learning how to understand people, even the tricky ones.

And you’re doing it while having fun. No worksheets. No tests. Just a story.

Fictional Stories Help Kids Figure Themselves Out

Think about it. When you’re a kid, the world doesn’t always make sense. You feel things you can’t explain. You notice things that adults ignore. And sometimes, you just feel off, like you’re not quite like the others. Then a book comes along with a character who feels the same way.

Maybe they’re shy. Maybe they love something no one else cares about. Maybe they mess up a lot, but they try anyway. It’s not just about being entertained. It’s about being understood. And kids need that more than we realize.

A Story That Does This Really Well

There’s this book called “Steven - the Railroad Teen.” It’s written by Evan Franzen, and honestly, it feels like it came from someone who gets it and what it’s like to feel different, to be passionate about something, and to not always fit in.

Steven is that teenage boy who’s completely into steam trains. Not just a little but he’s obsessed. But nobody really gets him. Not his parents. Not his classmates. They just Evan think it’s weird.

So one day, after things go badly at school, Steven decides to leave. Just… go. And that’s where the real story begins.

He ends up on this mysterious island called Steamfornia. It’s not on any map. It’s a hidden place where old steam trains still run and people actually care about the things Steven loves. For the first time, he doesn’t feel out of place. He finds friends. He finds purpose. And maybe most importantly, he finds a version of himself he didn’t know existed.

So, this isn’t just a train story. It’s one of Evan Franzen's books that blends something real with something imaginative in a way that hits many minds.

A Moment That Really Stuck

There’s this one part—can’t spoil the whole thing—but it’s when Steven first sees a massive steam engine coming to life. Not just moving but alive. It breathes. It talks. Instead of being scared, Steven feels calm, as if the engine has been waiting for him.

That moment... It’s weird and beautiful at the same time because it’s not about the engine talking but about Steven finally feeling like he belongs somewhere. It’s not a grand speech. It’s not an “aha!” moment. It’s just a small, quiet shift. 

That’s what good fictional stories do. They find the softest parts of you and speak to them.

These Stories Don’t Leave You

Have you ever reread a book years later and remember exactly how it made you feel the first time? That’s the kind of story Steven the Railroad Teen is.

Even if you’re not into trains or you’ve never felt like Steven, there’s still something in there for you because it’s about finding your place. Finding your people. And holding on to what makes you YOU. That’s what fiction gives us. Not just characters and plots but pieces of ourselves we didn’t know we were missing.

So yes. Keep the facts, keep the homework. But also keep the fiction. Because some of the most important lessons in life? They come from places that don’t even exist.

If you’re looking for something that’ll speak to a kid who’s a little different, a little imaginative, maybe even a little lost. Steven the Railroad Teen is that kind of book.