When Luiz went to Brazil recently, I gave him a copy of a Caroline story for his two great-nieces. Most francophones, especially the girls among them, will know Caroline and her animal friends well. They’re all good-hearted and mischievous only through exuberance, and the drawings are wonderful.

Neither of the little girls can read French, and one of them can’t read at all. But it didn’t stop them enjoying the book. The elder of the two put the smaller one on her lap, and started turning the pages, pointing at the pictures, and making up the story on the hoof.

Bingo, she ‘read’ the book to her cousin.