What to do

when you’re a serious book addict and your mom has said she won’t read to you right now (having read to you for the last 20 minutes):

Ask your sisters to fill in. 

Simeon will demonstrate.  He’s asked Naomi to read him Goodnight, Gorilla, a favorite of all the babies in our family so far.  It’s only got a few words, and you fill in the story according to the pictures.  A long time ago, Mama developed a storyline that covers the salient points and is pretty straightforward, which meant that she didn’t have to make up new words every time.  Now everyone in the house – and I do mean everyone in the house – could recite this story in his sleep.  We don’t, usually, but we could. 

Hmm…that gives me an interesting idea for a good practical joke.

Okay, back to the reading.  First, you sit in a basket and look as cute as possible.  Wearing a truck onesie that says “Helper” on it is optional, but may increase the chances of this working. 

Then you look pathetic and hold the book out to any passing person, signing “please” and saying, “Busy, busy, busy!!” which is, of course, your way of saying “please.”  Your mother notices this and, having read the book to you over and over for a good long time before you got in the basket, asks your sister to read it to you. 

Your sister, Naomi, can’t read yet.  With this book, though, that’s not a problem!  There aren’t many words and, besides, the whole family has the storyline memorized!

Then your mother takes pictures, because a 3-year-old reading to a 1-year-old in a basket is really, really photogenic.  You’ll see:

(It doesn’t hurt to include some signs of the things happening in the book, either.)

(Your kind sister even lets you point along as she says the seven “Good nights” on this page.  What a kind sister!)

Kind sister, however, knows her limit.  She’s not going to read it to you over and over and over and over and over.  Mom is still hiding behind the camera.  So serious book addict must read the book for himself.

The utter absorption in the material is just amazing to see, isn’t it?  And all while sitting in a cozy basket.