Listening Skills

I've started reading the kids "The Last Unicorn" by Peter Beagle.  They like chapter books, but prefer a few illustrations now and then, and this book doesn't have any.  Instead of sitting quietly on the bed during story time, they were  jumping from bed to bed, throwing stuffed animals, climbing on their desk, teasing their sister.

Mom: "That's it, boys.   I'm done.  If you're not going to listen, I'm not going to read."
Quinn: "We WERE listening!!"
Mom: "No you weren't.  You were jumping around, goofing off!"
Colby: "We were listening, Mom.  Ask us anything."
Mom: "Allright.  What's the name of the carnival?"
Colby: "Mommy Fortuna's!  Creatures of the night brought to light!"
Mom: "OK.  Lucky guess.  What's the name of the magician?"
Quinn: "Schmen....Schnen... something."
Mom: "Schmendrick. Fine.  Well, what's the last thing I read?"
Colby: "A dragon has the insides of a furnace, but the outside is ice cold!"

HUH.  Those turkeys.  How could they possibly be listening so closely, when they're shrieking and bouncing off the walls??  It gives me hope that they're retaining something when they're at school, despite the frequent reports of squiggliness!!!