Magic is always impossible. It begins with the impossible and ends with the impossible and is impossible in between. That's why it is magic.

— Kate DiCamillo

Men and boys always want to go fight. They are always looking for a reason to go to war. It is the saddest thing. They have this abiding notion that war is fun. And no history lesson will convince them differently.

— Kate DiCamillo

No one cared what she wanted. No one had ever cared. And perhaps, worst of all, no one ever would care.

— Kate DiCamillo

Normally, Edward would have found intrusive, clingy behavior of this sort very annoying, but there was something about Sarah Ruth. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted to protect her. Furthermore, he wanted to do more for her. (page 135)

— Kate DiCamillo

Nothing would be easier without you, because you are everything, all of it-sprinkles, quarks, giant donuts, eggs sunny-side up-you are the ever-expandinguniverseto me.

— Kate DiCamillo

Not much goes on in the mind of a squirrel. Huge portions of what is loosely termed "the squirrel brain" are given over to one thought:

— Kate DiCamillo

Oh, my goodness,” said Louisiana. “I’m just all filled up with feathers and regrets. And fears. I have a lot of fears.

— Kate DiCamillo

Once upon a time," he said out loud to the darkness. He said these words because they were the best, the most powerful words that he knew and just the saying of them comforted him.

— Kate DiCamillo

Reader, do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it (as the soldier said about happiness) something that you might just as well do, since, in the end, it really makes no difference to anyone but you?

— Kate DiCamillo

Reader, you must know that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform.

— Kate DiCamillo