Cynthia Lord

“Not everything worth keeping needs to be useful”

“How else can hopes go but up?”

“Sometimes people don't answer because they didn't hear you, Other times it's because they don't want to hear you!”

“Why can't the world be simpler, like it is for guinea pigs? They only have a few rules: Crying will get you attention. If it fits in your mouth, it's food. Scream if you don't get your share.”

“It hurts how life goes on, unknowing.”

“Stay because you want to be here. Stay because we would miss you. And stay because you can belong in more than one place, and one of your places is with us.”

“Wishes are slippery things. You have to be very specific or you can get exactly what you wished for and still end up with nothing.”

“One problem with agreeing to keep a secret is that it always starts off feeling like an easy, little decision. But it doesn't stay easy or little. it sits there like one of those jagged ledges hiding under the surface of the ocean at high tide—quietly waiting to rip everything apart if you forget, for even a second, it's there.”

“It's easy to remember only the good parts of people if you never see them. Real people are much more complicated.”

“People say it's better to know the truth, but what if the ending's a bad one? Is it still better to know? Or is it kinder to keep that string of hope dangling? To believe that maybe if you just wait long enough, everything could still end the way you want.”

“Touch blue and your wish will come true.”

“rules”

“Most people say if you tell a wish it won't come true. But I don't think wishes work like that. I don't believe there's some bad-tempered wish-fairy with a clipboard, checking off whether or not you've told...But it's a long shot I'll get my wish, so even if there is a fairy in charge of telling, it won't matter.'I wish everyone had the same chances,' I say. 'Because it stinks a big one that they don't. What about you? What did you wish for?''Grape soda.'I can't help smiling. 'You wished for grape soda?' He doesn't answer, and I pull my hand from my pocket. Taking one of his fluttering hands, I wrap his fingers tightly around a dollar. 'Wish granted, toad.'He takes off running and Dad runs after him.I close my eyes and make a new wish.I wish the refreshment stand has grape soda.”

“Just because other people think something, that doesn't make it true.Maybe there's some truth in that, but it's unsatisfying, bitter-tasting truth.”

“Just this once, let it be easy.”

“Some people think they know who you are, when really they don't.”

“...choosing words is harder than I thought.”

“Not everything worth keeping has to be useful.”

“Jason tilts his head toward me, his hand moving slyly across his book. Stupid. Speech. Woman.”

“I wish everyone had the same chances," I say. "Because it stinks a big one that they don't." - Catherine”

“Looking closer can make something beautiful”

“Cathrine pretty today. I nod, yes it's a very pretty day. Jason touches my arm. Cathrine pretty.”

“No toys in the fish tank”