Dance of the Books, Panel 7, by Helena Clare Pittman, Grahamville Library, Grahamville, NY.
www.helenaclarepittman.com

“But I don’t want to do a story!”

Storytelling in the last thing Mathew, my 7-year-old grandson, and I do before lights out when he stays over.

“You’re good at starting off,” I say.

He squints. “Ok. I’ll do the starting, but you’ll do the finishing.”

I nod in agreement to this familiar clause in our contract: if he begins, [...]