Despereaux marveled at his own bravery. He admired his own defiance. And then, reader, he fainted.

When I was a kid I loved to read, but I didn't write and I didn't create imaginary worlds. So, if one student walks away thinking, "She's obviously just an ordinary person, yet she gets to make her living doing what she wants to do. Maybe that applies to me, too," then I feel like my time has been well spent.

So many miracles have not yet happened.

My favorite food is deep-fried ravioli. I always get that every year.

There is nothing worse than war in the summetime.

Writing is seeing. It is paying attention.

I'm continually astonished with myself how different people bring out things in me that I never knew I had inside me. Each new friendship can make you a new person, because it opens up new doors inside of you.