Poor Kate,"said Constance,"she's lost her marbles.

Now listen, we need to be quiet as mice. No, quieter than that. As quiet as...as..." "Dead mice?" Reynie suggested. "Perfect," said Kate with an approving nod. "As quiet as dead mice.

So what's your team called?" asked Kate, twisting her legs into a pretzel-like configuration, "We're called the Winmates because we're inmates who win." Kate looked back and forth at Reynie and Constance, searching their expression for signs of delight. "You gave yourselves a name?" asked Constance. Now it was Kate's turn to be baffled. "You didn't? How can you have a team without a name?

Children are capable of such open rudeness.

She announced her age right away, for children consider their ages every bit as important as their names.

Everything is as it should be.

I was always interested in the possibility maybe of finding my way into a big adventure.