Nell perched herself on the windowsill, leaned against the pane, opened 
the Primer, and flipped all the way back to the beginning. It started with the 
same old story, as ever, but told now in more mature prose. She read the story 
of how her stepfather had gotten her from the mermaids, and read it again, 
drawing out more details, asking it questions, calling up detailed 
illustrations.