Gratuitous Domestic Posting (TM)

The other day, the five year old read Frog and Toad Together to me. Right the way through. I've always liked the Frog and Toad series - the artwork is very good, bordering on the inspired in some places, and the stories entertaining without being too gooshy or saccharin. (Toad, for example, is a bit of a dummy and Frog gently patronizes him.)

Anyhoo, as the gel was reading, I noticed something which I've also often remarked in her elder sister: It wasn't enough for her just to get the words out. She also wanted to emote, to get in the sense of the words. This got me wondering - where did this urge come from? I've always made a point of trying to inject as much dramatic sense into my readings to the Llama-ettes as possible, so maybe they pick it up from me. On the other hand, it may just be innate. I really don't know. (UPDATE: When I say "I", I mean "we". The Missus was a theatre major in college, after all.)

I like to do other things when I read to them. For example, I often adopt individual voices for characters. This can be tough on occassion. (Try reading The Monster at the End of This Book with full Grover histrionics three or four times in rapid succession. Sore throat, indeed.) Sometimes I'll ad lib in order to punch up a line or (where I think it's tedious) to shorten it. The seven year old, whose desire for order approaches the Cromwellian, hates this. She always follows along as I read and if I wander away from the script, almost invariably calls me on it.

UPDATE: Speaking of such things, I have confess that I've been having some fun with the noisy toy my sister sent the seven year old for her birthday. More recent dramatic renderings include:

Exterminate the Dok-tor! Exterminate! Exterminate!!

Nnnnnnn.......What you got, beyotch?

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto......

But I'm still gonna get Sis back.....