Because you like Stanley Yelnats in Holes

Cassie Sullivan is resilient and resourceful, but she's not quite as brave as she pretends to be. See them in The 5th Wave.

Equal parts klutzy and clever, Ella is not afraid to take her fate into her own hands. See them in Ella Enchanted.

Motivated by a strong sense of curiosity, fleet-footed Lina Mayfleet is happiest when she's on the move. See them in The City of Ember.

Despite the undeniably awful turn her life has taken, Rachel handles herself with remarkable grace. See them in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl .

Raised to happily follow the rules, Cassia might actually be more rebellious than she thinks she is. See them in Matched .

Lyra Belacqua is prone to getting in trouble, but she's also clever enough to get out of it. Most of the time. See them in The Golden Compass.

Smart but insecure, Tally Youngblood is torn between what she wants and what her society demands. See them in Uglies.

For Scout Finch, growing up means learning the world is a more complicated place than you once thought. See them in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Gollum is slimy and seething with hatred, the last person you would want to meet in a dark cave. See them in The Lord of the Rings.

Buttercup is a farm girl turned princess who'd do anything to have her old life back. See them in The Princess Bride.

Artemis Fowl understands the way of the world. If he wins, he's a prodigy. If he loses, then he's crazy. That is how history is written. See them in Artemis Fowl.

Dimitri Belikov is a stoic vampire guardian who has the reserve, focus, and discipline of a soldier. See them in Vampire Academy .