All of fiction is truthful. What you create is your own truth and no one can take that away or change it.

Books transmit values. They explore our common humanity. What is the message when some children are not represented in those books?

When I began to read, I began to exist

Cutting people out of your life is easy, keeping them in is hard.

We need to tell young people that America was built by men and women of all colors and that the future of this country is dependent on the participation of all of our citizens.

Reading is not optional.

I'll never live to write all the stories I have in my head.

We need to tell kids flat out: reading is not optional.

Think about all the tomorrows of your life.

We all know we should eat right and we should exercise, but reading is treated as if it's this wonderful adjunct.

It's a hard life sometimes and the biggest temptation is to let how hard it is be an excuse to weaken

Peace can be found within, no matter the external circumstances.

If a man is proud of you in public, he will always be proud of you.

There will never be a point in my life where it is acceptable to waste time.

Men lie the most, women tell the biggest lies... a man's lie is, "I'm at Tony house, I was at Kenny house!" A woman lie is like, "It's your baby!"

John Kerry will be the Democratic nominee for president. Democrats finally found someone who is Al Gore without the flash and the sizzle.

Half the world is below average and it's not going to get any better.

Life is a flimsy branch over an abyss.

In the night all cats are gray.

My mom was an environmental activist in Australia in the late ’60s and ’70s and I guess I’ve inherited that awareness from her.

I love doing theater. That's where my home is.