Quotes from Trenton Lee Stewart

All these new possibilities, so pleasing to contemplate on their own, had sent everyone's minds spinning, for every possibility came at a cost. Even a single departure spelled the end of the Society as they had known it, and each of its members felt a kind of horror at the prospect of being the first to open the door--the one responsible for ending what they had.

Sign of the twin," Sticky said offhandedly. His eyes widened. "Wait a minute!" "That's right," said Reynie. "I think Mr. Benedict has a long lost brother.

about parataxis and hypotaxis (they either had something

She needed to judge her friends and family by their actions, not by their thoughts, for thoughts are fleeting and temperamental, the reflection of a moment, and are very often confused and misleading. Thoughts formed into spoken words are a different matter, and actual deeds another matter still.

There's an often-repeated phrase in the hidden

Instead, while Sticky helped them practice, she composed a poem about a bunch of bossy gargoyles who liked to eat cat food and pick their ears. It was an unpleasant poem, and the gargoyles' names, not very cleverly disguised, were Kateena, Reynardo, and Georgette

The fact that Sticky had briefly had a girlfriend, for instance, until she broke up with him for remarking upon her pulchritude. ("She didn't believe me when I told her it meant 'beauty,'" Sticky said.

His mom had elfish features with, typically, an elfish look of mischief and confidence about them—except when she was worried about her son.

They're waiting at the barrier," Constance said as she and Kate left the control room. "Every one of them.

once belonged to Penelope (Reuben hadn't

The fact that Sticky had briefly had a girlfriend, for instance, until she broke up with him for remarking upon her pulchritude.

Sticky… Sticky… hmm. Always fiddles with his glasses… fiddlesticks! Okay, fiddlesticks. Good. I'll remember that.

something good." "Of course it will be good! How could it not be good?" said Kate, leaning back on her elbows with a satisfied smile. "It's already good. We're together, aren't we? And tomorrow we'll see Mr. Benedict!" "Not to mention Rhonda and Number Two," Reynie said, referring to Mr.

And then without warning, his eyes closed, his chin dropped to his chest, and he fell asleep.

These turbines had been invented by a man named Ledroptha Curtain, who, as a young scientist, had published impressive papers on a wide variety of topics—everything from tidal energy to mapping the brain—until abruptly the papers stopped. No one heard from him for many years. Then one day he reappeared and founded the Institute, apparently having turned his genius to matters of education. There

Reynie rarely watched television, he knew the Emergency

She needed to judge her friends and family by their actions, not by their thoughts, for thoughts are fleeting and temperamental, the reflection of a moment, and are very often confused and misleading.

Sticky, as if someone had pulled a string in his back, promptly answered, "To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive, or to otherwise render indistinct." Constance looked frightened.

He said he doesn't believe we become different people as we age. No, he says he believes we become more people. We're still the kids we were, but we're also the people who've lived all the different ages since that time. A whole bunch of different people rolled up into one - that's how Nicholas sees it.

Errand day was when all the adult houseguests went out to deal with shopping and business.

Rules and schools are tools for fools—I don't give two mules for rules!

When looking in my looking glass I spied a trusted face. Alas, Not to be taken for him am I. Beware, therefore, the Gemini.

Even as she was gathering herself, the watchmaker found something—something unexpected—that bolstered her courage. It was as if she were being rewarded for having resolved to do the right thing, no matter the cost. It was a very strange and good feeling, she thought, as she picked up the phone. To feel happy despite being afraid.

Kate was peppering Mr. Benedict with questions: What was their mission to be? Would they need code names? Was it possible to use a somewhat longish code name?