Last night, a parent came into the bookstore to get some reads for her 15 year-old son. He wanted Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane, because it's being made into a movie & he'd seen the trailer & was enchanted.

"But can you give me some other suggestions?" she asked, after reading the summary on the back of Shutter Island and shuddering a little. "You recommended The Hunger Games & Little Brother last time, and he adored both of those."

"No problem!" I said, flushed with the thrill of having a parent tell me their kid liked my picks. I loaded her up with Catching Fire and An Abundance Of Katherines.

"I'd really rather not buy Shutter Island," she said. "But I better call him first."

She did. She came back five minutes later, Shutter Island still in hand.

"He won't be swayed. He says you've lost credibility, since you recommended Life of Pi and he hates it, and he's not sure he'll like anything else you pick, either."

I must've looked particularly stricken, because she hastened to add "... but I'll buy these two other books anyway."

Please insert my face of woe here! I don't expect to have winning suggestions for everyone every time, but booksellers are story yentas by trade and Lord it stings to have someone tell me I've "lost credibility." Even a 15 year-old teenager, even second-hand.

I want everyone to love books and be happy. Is that so wrong?