The children's book world has given me wonderful friendships and an unbelievably rich life.

The name we give to something shapes our attitude toward it.

To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another.

It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading.

Peace is not won by those who fiercely guard their differences, but by those who with open minds and hearts seek out connections.

I love revision. Where else can spilled milk be turned into ice cream?

As much pleasure as young people get from Twittering and texting, there is no way these activities will nourish their minds and spirits the way literature can.

Reading can be a road to freedom or a key to a secret garden, which, if tended, will transform all of life.

As I look back on what I have written, I can see that the very persons who have taken away my time are those who have given me something to say.

Some folks are natural born kickers. They can always find a way to turn disaster into butter.

I love to read. But I loved to read a lot longer than I started to love writing.

She cannot chain my soul. Yes, she could hurt me. She'd already done so...I would bleed, or not. Scar, or not. Live, or not. But she could not hurt my soul, not unless I gave it to her.

Everyday hundreds of people came to the hospital... dying, and I have to introduce life into them again... my duty was to compete with death.

This movie [Moana] has a very small cast, and this was the role [Heihei] that they offered me. I loved voicing him.

life is a deep sleep of which love is the dream

We are all several different people. There are different aspects of our nature that are competing.

I mean, I would love to have the career Joan Baez is having in Europe right now, but God knows I don't begrudge her that career.

...I said I was sorry.” “Be sorry, then. Just be sorry somewhere else.

I took one look and fell, hook and tumble.

I was painting furniture, learning to stencil, and explore all kinds of traditional techniques of decoration. I learned from books that I picked up.

The demands of following Christ will cost you everything. But you gain far more than you give up. You give up dirt for diamonds.