I am thankful for children's books.

I picked up a grown-up book at the library the other day. I had placed a hold on it, and there was a huge waiting list for it, so when it was finally my turn to read it, I was excited. Glowing NY Times review ... big displays at the bookstores ... bestseller status ...

I took it with me to my hair appointment Saturday (cut off about 2 1/2 inches, got color - yay!) and started reading while I was under the dryer.

The first 5 pages set up an interesting problem, but they were a prologue.

Then the book went away.

It turned its back on the prologue and started telling me a WHOLE BUNCH OF EXPOSITORY STUFF. Back story, long and involved money laundering details that I know I was supposed to care about, but didn't, and unwieldy chunks of blah-dom.

I read about 20 pages.

I flipped ahead in the book. It still looked boring.

I flipped ahead further. Still boring.

I closed the book. After my hair appointment, I walked over to the library and put the book in their return bin.

Then I came home and started another excellent children's book.

You can't bore kids. They won't allow you to become a bestseller if you bore them.