Because God does not work like poof! God works through people. Like you. It’s a strange way to run the world. Yes, even to me it is mysterious. Full of wonders – and endlessly maddening.

When you think about it, each book is a lot of lives. Dozens and dozens of them.

And if this seems strange to you – that, under these difficult, frightening, and outlandish circumstances, children might be happy... well, then you don’t know all that much about children.

Second of all, those fairy tales that you hear over and over and over again aren’t even the REAL fairy tales. Has your teacher ever said to you, “Today, children, we’re going to read a Cinderella story where the stepsisters cut off their toes and their heels with a butcher’s knife! And then they get their eyes pecked out by birds! Ready? Is everyone sitting crisscross-applesauce?

There are some people in this world who have magic in them, whose very presence makes you happier. Some of those people, it turns out, are children.

Because, you see, every triumph begins with failure.

A tale dark and Grimm is my favorite book of all time because it gives me the chills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, don’t eat my house!’ the baker woman.

A hug from a child! he exclaims. Perhaps God’s greatest invention!

Anger is a weed... It grows up through the soil, choking every other plant. You must stamp it out. Don’t let it enter your garden. Stamp out your anger until it never comes back.