They were not just interesting specimens or an intriguing challenge. From the very start, they were valued friends, persons whom she respected. This is something I struggle with now toward my own children. Seems to me there is some balance here. If I am really attentive to what she is saying, I find that things go a lot more smoothly for both of us.
Narration is such an obvious, natural response to the enjoyable experience of reading.
When all along we were doing it as a natural process. As adults we try to make it harder than it is. Reading this one made me think of a game we played when we had to wait in lines or for the food to arrive in restaurants. One person goes first and says one sentence to begin a story. The next person adds a sentence.