When I started to write, it was the '70s, and throughout that decade, we didn't have any problems with book challenges or censorship.

How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives.

Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won't have as much censorship because we won't have as much fear.

My only advice is to stay aware, listen carefully, and yell for help if you need it.

Believe in yourself and you can achieve greatness in your life.

our finger prints dont fade from the lives we touch

Having the freedom to read and the freedom to choose is one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me.

Librarians save lives by handing the right book at the right time to a kid in need.

We are friends for life. When we’re together the years fall away. Isn’t that what matters? To have someone who can remember with you? To have someone who remembers how far you’ve come?

The truth will make you odd.

Things change…things happen…things you can’t even imagine when you’re young and full of hope.

You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.

Watch a movie that makes you laugh or listen to a song that makes you cry. Embrace your emotions and be proud of what you feel.

The most sacred thing is to be able to shut your own door.

From the inside looking out you can never see how it looks from the outside looking in.

If you decide to direct a film, it's because you have something to say, something to show to the audience.

We're the real estate industry - not the manufacturers.

Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success.

All of my films deal with the same thing: striving, socially and culturally, to stay alive.

Art was not created as a way to riches. Strive to become a true artist; all else will take care of itself.

A lot of people can be very scared about making themselves vulnerable and appearing uncool. I don't really give a damn; as long as it's funny, I'll do it [make fun of myself].