Mama was crying, and the rain made it seem as if the whole world was crying.

I've always been interested in medicine and was pleased when my brother became a doctor. But after thinking seriously about that field, I realized that what intrigued me was not the science, not the chemistry or biology of medicine, but the narrative - the story of each patient, each illness.

He was free to enjoy the breathless glee that overwhelmed him: the speed, the clear cold air, the total silence, the feeling of balance and excitement and peace.

There will always be a place for bunnies to talk in rhyme, but that's not what I do.

She fell asleep, and it was a sleep as thin as the night clouds, dotted with dreams that came and went like the stars.

I often compare myself as a kid to my own grandchildren, who are around 11 and 14 now. That's the age kids usually read my book. And I remember myself, we'd gone through a world war. My father was an army officer so I was aware of what was going on. But I wasn't bombarded with images of catastrophe like many kids are today.

He wept, and it felt as if the tears were cleansing him, as if his body needed to empty itself.