Oh, Ha ha! I don't know if I would call it cruel to promote reading with children. I think it is a wonderful habit to develop. ;)

But it does sound like it produced quite the interesting results with the combination of influences you received as a child. I think it is a fabulous craft that you have there. You do quite beautiful work.

And my apologies on the lateness of my response. I haven't been sleeping well and that does not produce the greatest mental capacity for storytelling.