The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

I try to avoid the Children's Room at my local library. It's too loud with children screaming and parents talking over their kids about meeting up at Jamba Juice.

But every so often, I stick my hood on and run into the kids' room to grab some books in the "J" section.

My last run into the kids' section yielded this book.

All four Willoughby children are despised by their parents. Alas, all four Willoughby children despise their parents. The kids would rather be orphans and their parents would rather be childless.

This book is probably funnier if you're an adult reading it than if you're a child, so a note to my junior readers: wait until you're in your 20s to read this one. Reading about parents not liking their kids could be damaging at a young age.

But if you're an adult, and you haven't read any kids' books lately, this is a funny book to read. It's whimsical with cute illustrations, and a funny neighbor boy who thinks he's speaking German but he's not ("Helloschlimhofen, neisch day, isn't itzenschlitz?").