“There was power in that music, a power which seemed to most rightfully belong to all the skinny kids, fat kids, ugly kids, shy kids—the world's losers, in short.”

“Most kids don't give a hoot in hell for brains; they go a penny a pound, and the kid with the high I.Q. who can't play baseball or at least come in third in the local circle jerk is everybody's fifth wheel.”

“Mrs. Cole was a perfect democrat. She hated all kids equally.”

“A kid of your age—any kid—could get hold of matches if she wanted to, burn up the house or whatever. But not many do. Why would they want to?”

“There's no bitch on earth like a mother frightened for her kids.”

“I think part of being a parent is trying to kill your kids.”

“Kids, fiction is the truth inside the lie, and the truth of this fiction is simple enough: the magic exists.”