Witte-Townsend and DiGiulio explore some of the dimensions of knowing that children, teachers and parents may engage together during story-time. They reflect on some of their own long-term relationships with children and children's books, especially Phoebe Gilman's "Something from nothing" (published in 1992) and Simms Taback's "Joseph had a little overcoat," published in 1999. The authors probe issues such as why children ask to hear a favourite story over and over and why they suddenly abandon all interest and move on to a new book. They explore the meaning of the silences that sometimes arise during story-time, pooling around the young listeners as the last words of the book are read. Witte-Townsend and DiGiulio remind us of the value of literature in the lives of children and they affirm that the reading and re-reading of favourite stories enables the understanding of complex human issues and contributes significantly to social, emotional and spiritual growth.