The story in three lines. On the fair's last weekend Lan and Inkling decide not to wish, and make their own game from the three pieces they kept: a die for chance, a flag for leaving things out, acorns for ending. Lan starts writing all the rules herself, sees Inkling's hands in her lap, and turns the card over. An otter shows them a game for two needs moves that change each other; a flamingo finds the one move that always wins; Inkling's swap rule finishes it, and the booth-keeper asks to play.

One question to ask. "Why did Lan turn her eight rules face down?" Listen for "because it was only her game" or "because Inkling wasn't playing." Then ask: "What does the swap rule make you do every turn?"

One thing to do at the table. Make OURS. Draw a track of sixteen squares; one die; eight buttons in a cup (take one a turn, the last one counts double if you like); one paper flag each that can't be planted on the first two turns; and if you land exactly on the other piece, swap. Then let the youngest player add one rule.

The grown-up layer. Three ideas from game design meet in this book: interaction (my move changes yours), balance (no single move always wins — designers call that a dominant strategy) and ownership. A game made together is one children come back to because it is theirs; a machine can build a game from a wish, but it cannot give a child the experience of making one with a friend.

Let your child tell the story back first. Telling it back is how the counter goes in the pocket.