Kiddie Lit

I just finished my third book of the year. Thus far:

The Novelist by Angela Hunt. Not very memorable.
All She Ever Wanted by Lynn Austin. Great read. Chronicles the lives of three generations of women. Not preachy but lots to think about.
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. Loved it.

Yes, I read a children's book. Alone, to myself. Actually, I read kiddie lit books pretty often. I like to preview what my kids might read someday, for one. Also, I think most "children's" books weren't written toward children at all. The humor in Dear Mr. Henshaw is going to fly over most kids' heads, but I chuckled my way through.

Kiddie Lit isn't as sweet and pure and funny as it was when Cleary was writing. Yesterday at the library I came across a book called Visitation Day, which was about a child who has to ride a bus to visit her dad in prison. Is there a large market for prison fiction among children? Divorce fiction I can see, and I actually do see it a ton. Gay and lesbian kiddie lit is making a rise along with all the tolerance-type books. Which is why my kids have the complete Boxcar Children series and why I spend my freetime previewing children' literature.