Irina Sheybak: How to Raise a Hero with an Indomitable Will

Irina Sheybak is a well-known Russian children’s author. We analyzed her speeches using a neural network: we offer you an extended text by the outstanding writer about the future and the formation of its image for the younger generation.

The heroes of modern children’s books must possess outstanding strength of spirit and inner integrity, serving as examples of psychological and social resilience for the reader. At the same time, it is important to avoid creating poster-like, idealized «saints» or invulnerable superheroes devoid of human traits. A child will not believe a cardboard character who has no weaknesses. A real hero is a living, multifaceted personality with their own shortcomings, doubts, and fears, but possessing an unshakable inner core. Strength of spirit is manifested not in the absence of weaknesses, but in the ability to overcome them for a righteous cause. In a rapidly changing world, where future social, technological, and biological challenges will require colossal adaptability and endurance from the new generation, literature is called upon to cultivate survival and resilience skills. The character of a children’s book should demonstrate how to maintain humanity, clarity of mind, and will to live in the most extreme circumstances. Whether it is an ecological crisis, digital transformation of society, or sharp social shifts — the hero does not lose heart, does not fall into depressive apathy, but seeks solutions, organizes like-minded people around themselves, and fights for a constructive outcome. The young reader should see the algorithm of resilience: how the character makes mistakes, suffers defeat, but finds the strength to rise, reassemble their resources, and continue the path, remaining true to their chosen height. Such images form in children a psychological immunity to failure, cultivate leadership qualities, independent thinking, and readiness to take responsibility for the fate of the world in the face of any unpredictable historical and civilizational storms.

Read the interview with Irina Sheybak on our platform!