I also contest the author's estimate of what 8 year olds are capable of, having very clear memories of being that age myself, and generally always being underestimated by adults. Some of whom sounded like this one.

Luckily that set of adults did not include my own parents, who thought it would be fun to have a full encyclopedia at home, and I got pulled in by it no less than Wikipedia sometimes pulls me in, in adulthood.