When Bean is three, she picks up the phrase “caca boudin” (“poop sausage”) and says it all the time. Pamela isn’t sure how to feel about it. She enrolls Bean in the French version of preschool, called Maternelle, where children participate in a more structured, school-like environment, but without the pressure of having to learn specific things at specific times. Maternelle focuses on art, speaking skills, and other aspects of French culture, all of which influence Bean.

Pamela notices that French children are taught to say “bonjour” and “au revoir” as much as “please” and “thank you” are taught in America but for different reasons. For French parents, the greetings mean that the child is part of the world and is a whole person, while also reinforcing to the child that other people exist and have needs.

Soon, Bean becomes a native speaker of both French and English. She plays with the two languages, often combining them to humorous effect. Children’s books in France typically feature plotlines without a resolution, emphasizing that life is complicated and nuanced. As time goes on, Pamela can no longer deny Bean’s “Frenchness.” Pamela and Simon, meanwhile, never fully adapt to French nuance. For instance, they learn that “caca boudin” is a sort of kids’ curse word, but never manage to navigate the use of the term.