Mieke and I were reading this series of fairy books that she likes. She reads one page, I read the next, and so on. I'm not a fan of these books because I don't consider the story, characters, or writing compelling in any way, but the girls love them so I agree to get Mieke up to speed so she can read them on her own.

Anyway, Mieke's reading along and she comes to a line where Kirsty says, "I hope we don't run into those goblins again." Mieke stops, marking her place with a finger.

"Mama," she said, "I know they're going to run into those goblins again."

"You do?"

"I'm sure of it. But the writer of this book should make it not so obvious, make it so you think they will run into the goblins but then they don't. Or make you think they won't, and then--surprise!--they do. That would be more exciting. The writer should really do that."

"You're right. She should."

We kept reading and sure enough...goblins.

Mieke just shook her head. "These books are all the same."