So I woke this morning and read Marion Dane Bauer‘s Runt start to finish before the sun came up. My daughter was home with a fever so there was no urgency about the day (except the call of my VFCA Critical Thesis).

Later, after I walked the dogs, I settled in at my desk. My daughter picked up Runt and said, “Is this good?”

I said, “Yes, it is a very good story.”

I think the eyes of the wolf pup on the cover caught her attention. That and my definitive but not expansive statement caused her to open the book and begin reading. (Oh how we must be careful with these preteens not to get too excited about something.) An hour and a half later, she closed the book and said, “That was good.”

I smiled. She went on. “But I think Runt should have killed the moose for his family.”

“Hmmm,” I said. “Maybe, but I think calling his family and becoming a part of family was important.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, “And also he learned from Porcupine and Bider that not rushing in was the smarter thing to do.”

“Yes,” I said, trying to hide that smile I have for my daughter when she is particularly wise. “He grew up.”