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Best Book Quotes of the YEar
These quotes are from books that I have read during the current school year. Many are from older books.
2023-2024 School Year
The Daredevils
by Rob Buyea
"I will never again doubt the power of what you can't see or explain--because it is real. I felt it." (pg. 216)
The Ghost of Spruce Point
by Nancy Tandon
"Plan B means the thing you have to do when you don't get what you really want." (pg. 299)
Odder
by Katherine Applegate
"It's relief, giving up and accepting the inevitable. Hope can be exhausting."
The Wednesday Wars
by Gary D. Schmidt
"Love and hate in seventh grade are not far apart, let me tell you." (pg. 11)
"I'm not a cheapskate. I just don't have any money."
My sister shrugged. "It's the same thing," she said.
"I'm not a cheapskate. I just don't have any money."
My sister shrugged. "It's the same thing," she said.
2022-2023 School Year
Starfish
by Lisa Fipps
"Does everybody make somebody feel like a nobody?" (Ch. Shattering Stereotypes)
2021-2022 School Year
Stepsister
by Jennifer Donnelly
"History books say that kings and dukes and generals start wars. Don't believe it. We start them, you and I. Every time we turn away, keep quiet, stay out of it, behave ourselves." (Ch. 15)
"People will not forget. Or forgive. An ugly girl is too great an offense. Trust me, I am old and have seen much. Why, I've seen a dishonest girl who stole a king's ransom of jewels be forgiven because of her pretty smile. And a violent girl who robbed coaches at gunpoint walk out of jail because of her long black lashes. Why, I even knew a murderous girl who escaped the gallows because she had full lips and dimples and the judge fell head over heels for her. But an ugly girl? Ah, child, the world is made for men. An ugly girl can never be forgiven." (Ch. 17)
"Can't you make yourself likeable? Can't you even try?"
"'What a fool Isabelle is,' many people would say. 'What an idiot to throw her bracelet away on a lost cause.' Never listen to such small souled folk. The skin and bones dog who shows up at your door, the broken winged bird you nurse back to health, the kitten you find crying at the side of the road. You think you are saving them. Don't you? Ah, child, can't you see? They're saving you." (Ch. 71)
"...the price of forgiveness is forgiving." (Ch. 125)
"There is magic in this sad, hard world. A magic stronger than fate, stronger than chance. And it is seen in the unlikeliest of places.
By a hearth at night, as a girl leaves a bit of cheese for a hungry mouse.
In a slaughter yard, as the old and infirm, the weak and the discarded, are made to matter more than money.
In a poor carpenter's small attic room, where three sisters learned that the price of forgiveness is forgiving.
And now, on a battlefield, as a mere girl tries to turn the red tide of war.
It is the magic of a frail and fallible creature, one capable of both unspeakable cruelty and immense kindness. It lives inside every human being ready to redeem us. To transform us. To save us. If we can only find the courage to listen to it.
It is the magic of the human heart." (Ch. 125)
"People will not forget. Or forgive. An ugly girl is too great an offense. Trust me, I am old and have seen much. Why, I've seen a dishonest girl who stole a king's ransom of jewels be forgiven because of her pretty smile. And a violent girl who robbed coaches at gunpoint walk out of jail because of her long black lashes. Why, I even knew a murderous girl who escaped the gallows because she had full lips and dimples and the judge fell head over heels for her. But an ugly girl? Ah, child, the world is made for men. An ugly girl can never be forgiven." (Ch. 17)
"Can't you make yourself likeable? Can't you even try?"
"'What a fool Isabelle is,' many people would say. 'What an idiot to throw her bracelet away on a lost cause.' Never listen to such small souled folk. The skin and bones dog who shows up at your door, the broken winged bird you nurse back to health, the kitten you find crying at the side of the road. You think you are saving them. Don't you? Ah, child, can't you see? They're saving you." (Ch. 71)
"...the price of forgiveness is forgiving." (Ch. 125)
"There is magic in this sad, hard world. A magic stronger than fate, stronger than chance. And it is seen in the unlikeliest of places.
By a hearth at night, as a girl leaves a bit of cheese for a hungry mouse.
In a slaughter yard, as the old and infirm, the weak and the discarded, are made to matter more than money.
In a poor carpenter's small attic room, where three sisters learned that the price of forgiveness is forgiving.
And now, on a battlefield, as a mere girl tries to turn the red tide of war.
It is the magic of a frail and fallible creature, one capable of both unspeakable cruelty and immense kindness. It lives inside every human being ready to redeem us. To transform us. To save us. If we can only find the courage to listen to it.
It is the magic of the human heart." (Ch. 125)
Okay for Now
by Gary Schmidt
"Doug Swieteck," Mr. Ferris said, "do you know the basic principle of physical science?"
A trick?
"No," I said, sort of slow.
He rocked Clarence. "The basic principle of physical science is this: two bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Do you understand that?"
"I think so," I said.
"Do you understand what the principle means?"
I shook my head.
"It means, Doug Swieteck, that in this class, you are not your brother." (p. 101-102)
"In the whole story of the world, bananas have never once been a special treat." (p. 249)
"Mr. Powell raised an eyebrow. "I'm a librarian," he said. "I always know what I'm talking about." (p. 340)
A trick?
"No," I said, sort of slow.
He rocked Clarence. "The basic principle of physical science is this: two bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Do you understand that?"
"I think so," I said.
"Do you understand what the principle means?"
I shook my head.
"It means, Doug Swieteck, that in this class, you are not your brother." (p. 101-102)
"In the whole story of the world, bananas have never once been a special treat." (p. 249)
"Mr. Powell raised an eyebrow. "I'm a librarian," he said. "I always know what I'm talking about." (p. 340)
2020-2021 School Year
Seeds of Rebellion
by Brandon Mull
"If I'm going to fail, I need to fail doing only a little more than I can handle." (p. 131)
"I don't know how to use a sword." (Jason)
"It isn't too complicated. Insert the blade into the body of your enemy." (Aram) (p. 152)
"I don't know how to use a sword." (Jason)
"It isn't too complicated. Insert the blade into the body of your enemy." (Aram) (p. 152)
Back Roads, Country Toads
by Devin Scillian
"...we are going to have to use our wits." (Hank)
"Oh," said Buckaroo. "We better use yours, then." (p. 5)
"Oh," said Buckaroo. "We better use yours, then." (p. 5)
Shouting at the Rain
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
“...there is something you must remember about those feelings deep down inside. They come from your soul, and they're a precious thing. They should be saved for the ones who'll be cradling them like a new baby. You don't hand them off to just anyone. The ones that love you protect your feelings because they've been given a piece of you. Others may toss them around for just the same reason.” (Ch. 13 ebook)
"Papa Joseph used to say that if everyone put their troubles in the middle of the table, most would take their own back." (Ch. 44 ebook)
"...I decided that I was sick of standing knee-deep in water and complaining that I was drowning." (Ch. 48 ebook)
"Papa Joseph used to say that if everyone put their troubles in the middle of the table, most would take their own back." (Ch. 44 ebook)
"...I decided that I was sick of standing knee-deep in water and complaining that I was drowning." (Ch. 48 ebook)
The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA
by Brenda Woods
"..age has little to do with genuine friendship. Recipe for friendship is liking and trust. Respect gets mixed up in there too." (Ch 26 audiobook)
Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen
by Niki Lenz
"I'm a librarian. I'm rarely wrong." (p. 42)
(Bernice's 200 word essay on an aspect of The Hobbit)
"If I had a magical ring, I wouldn't want it to make me invisible. Too many people are already invisible because they aren't popular or rich or smart. I would want the ring to make me kind. That might not sound like much of a superpower to you, but it sometimes feels as impossible as superhuman strength or flying powers or something to me. When you are raised to only think about yourself and getting what you want, you don't turn out to be a very nice person. Nice people think of others and try to make friends. Nice people help out when they can and give people honest compliments. Yes, if I had a magical ring, I would want it to make me kind." (p. 173)
(Bernice's 200 word essay on an aspect of The Hobbit)
"If I had a magical ring, I wouldn't want it to make me invisible. Too many people are already invisible because they aren't popular or rich or smart. I would want the ring to make me kind. That might not sound like much of a superpower to you, but it sometimes feels as impossible as superhuman strength or flying powers or something to me. When you are raised to only think about yourself and getting what you want, you don't turn out to be a very nice person. Nice people think of others and try to make friends. Nice people help out when they can and give people honest compliments. Yes, if I had a magical ring, I would want it to make me kind." (p. 173)
Sideways Stories from Wayside School
by Louis Sachar
"You need a reason to be sad. You don't need a reason to be happy." (p. 66)
The Shadow Throne
by Jennifer Nielsen
As I strode from the tent, Mystic's reins were thrust into my hands. I climbed astride and immediately noticed Mott already on his own horse.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
"It's all very shameful," he said. "It turns out I'm one of your one hundred weakest men."
"You're not."
"I'm afraid it's true." Even as he spoke, Mott couldn't resist smiling. "It's a source of great embarrassment, Your Majesty, and I beg you not to question me about it any further." (p. 206-207)
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
"It's all very shameful," he said. "It turns out I'm one of your one hundred weakest men."
"You're not."
"I'm afraid it's true." Even as he spoke, Mott couldn't resist smiling. "It's a source of great embarrassment, Your Majesty, and I beg you not to question me about it any further." (p. 206-207)
The Emerald Atlas
by John Stephens
"I thought you were dead. Gabriel brought you in last night. Another five minutes, Granny said, it'd have been too late."
"She's your grandmother?"
"Nah. Everyone just calls her Granny. Granny Peet. She's a wisewoman. Does magic. That's how she cured you. Course she owns your soul now."
Emma stopped eating.
The girl gave a lopsided smile. "I'm kidding. She's not like that. You believed me, though."
"Did not."
"Sure you did. You thought Granny Peet had your soul in a jar or something." (p. 240-241)
"She's your grandmother?"
"Nah. Everyone just calls her Granny. Granny Peet. She's a wisewoman. Does magic. That's how she cured you. Course she owns your soul now."
Emma stopped eating.
The girl gave a lopsided smile. "I'm kidding. She's not like that. You believed me, though."
"Did not."
"Sure you did. You thought Granny Peet had your soul in a jar or something." (p. 240-241)
Son
by Lois Lowry
Fear dims when you learn things. (p. 157)