So, there's this idea that kids want clear meaningful narrative, but... have you noticed kids get super into old myths that have at best murky, often nonsensical, "plots" ? Actually, now that I think about it, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which is insanely popular, is pretty low on plot, high on mood. It's more like sketches, in the 19th century sense of it - little vignettes that don't have some kind of major arc or payoff.
