Bibliophile in the Making

The other day Miss M was in my room keeping me company while I did my schoolwork. She found a copy of The Fellowship of the Ring on my desk, which she took down and began to "read". I saw her out of the corner of my eye, and did what any cautious book-lover would do when one of his prized possessions is picked up by a four-year-old child.

"Put it back, please, Miss M."

She replied, as any four-year-old child would, "But I want a book to look at."

It so happens that she has a whole shelf full of her very own picture-books in the family room; so I quite reasonably asked, "Why don't you look at one of your books?"

Upon which, without hesitation, she replied, "No, I need a real book."

Needless to say, she got to keep the book, and did just fine with it.