Nigel and Dad have been reading From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg, for stories recently. This is a book Dad and Grandpa read together many years ago; one Dad has fond memories of. Being a long book, aimed at late elementary kids, Nigel's attention span has lasted for fewer than a dozen pages per night. This has only served to build even more drama into the story, though.
Tonight, Dad was reading while he thought Nigel was lying down in bed, then found out Nigel was looking through the frog washcloth book while listening. Dad had just read one of the most significant paragraphs, in which Mrs. Frankweiler gives the kids permission to search her files for information, and he was concerned Nigel hadn't been paying attention, so he asked what Nigel remembered.
Of the eleven sentences, Nigel remembered all but one, actually quoting more than half of the 125 words verbatim. Dad concern was completely groundless.
