327 Quotes by Jacqueline Woodson

I swallowed at once envying and adoring all the ways in which the word lovely could refer to my mother. So strange still, how different we were.

Every dandelion blown,each 'Star light, star brightThe first star I see tonight'.My wish is always the same.Every fallen eyelash and first firefly of the summerThe dream remains

Nothing in the world is like this-a bright white page withpale blue lines. The smell of a newly sharpened pencilthe soft hush of itmoving finallyone dayinto letters.

I am not gifted. When I read, the words twisttwirl across the page.When they settle, it is too late.The class has already moved on.I want to catch words one day. I want to hold themthen blow gently,watch them floatright out of my hands.

I am not my sister. Words from the books curl around each othermake little senseuntilI read them againand again, the storysettling into memory. Too slow my teacher says.Read Faster. Too babyish, the teacher says.Read older.But I don't want to read faster or older orany way else that mightmake the story disappear too quickly from whereit's settlinginside my brain,slowly becoming a part of me. A story I will remember long after I've read it for the second, third, tenth, hundredth time.

He loved October. Had always loved it. There was something sad and beautiful about it - the ending and beginning of things.

And give no damns that the white kids be looking at us like we don't belong at that school, in their lunchroom, sticking tongs into their salad bars. Fuck no. Don't even know they're in the presence of royalty when they ask, How come you all sit together? without checking their own all-white tables.

In your life, if you're lucky enough, you are born during a moment in time when the world is ready for the change you're bringing.

In Oakland, they started a free breakfast program so that poor kids can have a mealbefore starting their school day. Pancakes,