I realize, of course, that I wasn't born knowing how to read. I just can't imagine a time when I didn't know how.

We're alike, Jess would tell himself, me and Miss Edmunds . . . We don't belong at Lark Creek, Julia and me.

It's like the smarter you are, the more things can scare you.

Reading asks that you bring your whole life experience and your ability to decode the written word and your creative imagination to the page and be a co-author with the writer, because the story is just squiggles on the page unless you have a reader.

Shh" he said. "Look." "Where?" "Can't you see'um?" he whispered. "All the Terabithians standing on tiptoe to see you." "Me?" "Shh, yes. There's a rumor going around that the beautiful girl arrving today might be the queen they've been waiting for.

You don't have to fight dragons to write books. You just have to live deeply the life you've been given.

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