He made me realize that hard work--that the act of finishing, of completing, of accomplishing a task--is joyous

I had the feeling I was going to be successful, and I didn't want to be another disappointing Indian.

There isn't a lot of poverty literature in the young-adult world. And I don't know why that is, but I think certainly I felt a gap.

The people who loved me when I was seven years old love my books, and the people who didn't like me when I was seven years old don't like my books.

Yep, my daddy was an undependable drunk. But he'd never missed any of my organized games, concerts, plays, or picnics. He may not have loved me perfectly, but he loved me as well as he could. (189)

That's right, I am a book kisser.

I've learned that the worst thing a parent can do is ignore their children