Jumping Dragons

Once upon a time, there lived a very young hobbit who hated reading. Books were boring; they were a part of school, and ever so uninteresting.

But there was one book she loved very much. It was called Waldo, the Jumping Dragon. Waldo was not just a jumping dragon, but a jumping, laughing, friendly dragon who never looked where he was going. And he was adorable!

No terrible Smaug of nightmares, Waldo was a bumbling sweetie with perfect plot armor. (The knight he runs into is not so fortunate, alas!) And from his affable influence sprang a great love for whimsy.

Not every flavor is the same, of course, but if you look, you can nearly always spot at least one character in my books with a decidedly carefree attitude, a jaunty spirit, or that sudden gleam of fancy. Because once upon a time, there was a Waldo and the knight who tried to catch him.

(Sadly, I don't believe this book is still being published, but there is a YouTube video of a guy reading it if you or your little hobbits want to experience the full story.)