“This tiger is sprawledSo still and so flat,A question arisesWhen glancing thereat.Is he asleep? to bePerfectly frank,He looks more as ifHe was creamed by a tank!”

“You said you'd kiss me if I lost Tank."---"You want me to kiss you?"Oh boy. "You were happy I'd lost your puppy?"He was looking like he was still thinking about smiling as he glanced down at Tank, tucked under his arm. "No. That would make me an asshole."Right...”

“Asleep, he looked a lot younger than going-on-seventeen, but I had noticed that Johnny looked younger when he was asleep too, so I figured everyone did. Maybe people are younger when they are asleep.”

“Phin spared a moment of sympathy for Frank until he looked back and saw him at the bar, leaning into Clea’s cleavage. Get a grip, Frank, he thought, and then he looked down Sophie’s dress and thought, Never mind, Frank.”

“He glanced at Flat Finn, who was positioned in one corner of the room, facing the wall. “What is Flat Finn doing? If he’s urinating on the floor, you’re cleaning it up.” …“Is he in trouble? He has to stand in the corner and think about what he’s done?”

“Frank couldn't breathe underwater.But where was he?Percy turned in a full circle. Nothing. Then he glanced up. Hovering above him was a giant goldfish. Frank had turned -clothes, backpack, and all- into a koi the size of a teen-aged boy."dude." Percy sent his thoughts through the water, the way he spoke to other sea creatures. "A goldfish?"Frank's voice came back to him: "I freaked. We were talking about goldfish, so it was on my mind. Sue me.”