“Our role is to encourage, not discourage, reading.”

“I've had trouble with criticism, I guess. It's hard to know what role criticism plays in either encouraging poets or in getting other people to read them.”

“If you’re discouraged, then be discouraged. See how far that takes you. Then try encouragement. It’ll probably take you a bit farther into your courage.”

“Read the story like you believe it, read with passion to your children. Encourage their imagination”

“I think you'll be a great teacher," said Gary. That's his role in my life: blind encourager and ambassador of false senses of security.”

“We read to learn and to grow, to laugh, to be motivated, and to understand things we've never been exposed to. We read for strength to help us when we feel broken, discouraged or afraid. We read to find hope. We read because we're not just made up of skin and bones, and a deep need for chocolate, but we're also made up of words, words which describe our thoughts and what's hidden in our hearts.”