Katherine Applegate > Quotes

“Way I’ve always figured it, end of the day, you gotta be your own best friend. Look out for numero uno.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Bob

“Humans do many things poorly.

Making music is not one of them.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Family

“Dogs are experts at odor. Students of stink. We analyze the air the way humans read poetry, searching for invisible truths.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Bob

“ Marco said. ”
― Katherine Applegate, The Encounter

“She got up and went to her tiny kitchen. On the way she turned on her radio. "You want something to eat?" she called over her shoulder.

"What do you have?"

"Um..." She opened her refrigerator. "Milk, yogurt, and wilted lettuce." She checked her cupboard. "Cheerios. Instant grits. Sorry-- I figured that since this is technically the South, I should try grits. Ah-hah! Pop-Tarts."

"Pop-Tarts! All right," he said enthusiastically. He came to join her as she loaded the toaster. "Life. It just doesn't get any better than this. You and Pop-Tarts.”
― Katherine Applegate, Beach Blondes: June Dreams / July's Promise / August Magic

“You are Bob, untamed and undaunted.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Bob

“There’s always a logical explanation, I told myself. Always.”
― Katherine Applegate, Crenshaw

“What's that?" Seth asked, pointing.

"That?"

"That room. Isn't that a head?"

"Uh, that's, uh, out of order."

"What's wrong with it? Maybe I can fix it later."

Never tell a former handyman anything is broken. Never, ever, ever.”
― Katherine Applegate, Spring Break

“place”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ivan

“That’s the best kind of snooze, if you ask me. Good, warm, safe-in-someone’s-arms sleep.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Bob

“I don't know what lies ahead, but we are on the precipice of war, and war changes people. I want you to stay true to what you believe. Whatever comes, remember who you are.”
― Katherine Applegate, The Only

“I used the sap from leaves. I used the juice from fruit. But mostly I used mud. And that is what they called me: Mud.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ivan

“Then I head to the bathroom for a good, long drink from the water bowl of power.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Bob

“He was snoring, and man, that guy snored like a pro.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Bob

“The only person she knew at all was Marquez, and Marquez seemed to have been possessed by the music.”
― Katherine Applegate, June Dreams

“I wasn’t lying, exactly. It was more that I left out certain facts and focused on others. I didn’t want to do it, of course. I liked facts. And so did Marisol. But sometimes facts were just too hard to share. I decided to tell Marisol something about a sick relative,”
― Katherine Applegate, Crenshaw

“But my parents were optimists. They looked at half a glass of water and figured it was half full, not half empty. Not me. Scientists can’t afford to be optimists or pessimists. They just observe the world and see what is. They look at a glass of water and measure 3.75 ounces or whatever, and that’s the end of the discussion.”
― Katherine Applegate, Crenshaw

“I don’t know why people talk to me, but they often do. Perhaps it’s because they think I can’t understand them. Or perhaps it’s because I can’t talk back.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ivan

“... You're sunny. You keep showing up here." Diver
"I'm not sunny, I'm alcohol. No, no, I mean, I'm Summer," Summer says.
"Don't say that," the little boy said, suddenly frightened. "You're disturbing my wa.”
― Katherine Applegate

“With a great show of effort, Crenshaw sat up. He stretched, easing his back into an upside-down U. “I don’t think you understand what’s going on here, Jackson,” he said. “Imaginary friends don’t come of their own volition. We are invited. We stay as long as we’re needed. And then, and only then, do we leave.” “Well, I sure didn’t invite you.” Crenshaw sent me a doubtful look. His long, whiskery brows moved like strings on a marionette.”
― Katherine Applegate, Crenshaw

“A good zoo is how humans make amends.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ivan

“She batted her eyelashes at me to show she was kidding.
I love it when she does that.”
― Katherine Applegate, The Discovery

“Whatever your species, there's no force of nature more terrifying than a toddler tantrum.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Family

“It’s surprising how much stuff adults don’t know.”
― Katherine Applegate, Crenshaw

“It's an alien toilet!" -Cassie”
― Katherine Applegate

“I dream I'm a wolf sometimes, and when I wake up, I'm panting and my fur's on alert and I'm feeling Yeah, the world could hurt me, but I could hurt the world right back even harder. Like there's a dangerous, hard part of me chained inside, struggling to go free and just, I dunno, get even.
Then I go see what's for breakfast.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Bob

“wondered, too, if I’d done enough for the world I loved.”
― Katherine Applegate, Wishtree

“Summer gazed around more closely, looking less at the wreck of the ship and more at all the living things on or around or within it. Tiny shells clustered on the hull, each a living creature; the octopus that scuttled along, a liquid flurry of graceful motion; the amazing snail that crept toward her foot. There were small forests of soft, willowy plants that made home for crabs and squid and rays. Fish, big and small, alone or in schools, darted in and out, up and down, crossing between her and the sun above like flights of birds.
In a single moment of awareness she realised that the dead ship was no longer dead. The machine that had failed to protect its human cargo now protected an entire universe of colourful, indescribably strange, stunningly creative, incredible life.”
― Katherine Applegate, Beach Blondes: June Dreams / July's Promise / August Magic

“What bothered me most, though, was that i couldn't fix anything. I couldn't control anything. It was like driving a bumper car without a steering wheel. I kept getting slammed, and I just had to sit there and hold on tight.”
― Katherine Applegate, Crenshaw

“You act like a normal human and you’ll win an Oscar,” Marco said. He led the way up to his house and opened the door. “Okay, look, you wait right there by that table. Don’t go anywhere. If my dad comes in and talks to you, just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ Got it? Yes and no answers only. I’ll run up to my room. I’m gonna call one of the others to meet us at the bookstore. You’re already driving me nuts.” I stood by the table. There was a primitive computer on the table. It even had a solid, two-dimensional screen. And a keyboard! An actual keyboard. I touched the keyboard. It was amazing. Andalite computers once had keyboards, too. Although ours were very different. And it had been centuries since we’d used them. On the screen of the computer was a game. The object of the game was to spot the errors in a primitive symbolic language and correct them. Of course, before I could play I had to make sense of the system. But that was simple enough. Once I understood the system, it was easy to spot the errors. I quickly rewrote it to make sense out of it. I said to myself. “Hello?” I turned around. It was an older human. He was paler than Marco, but other features were similar. Marco had warned me to say nothing to his father but “yes” and “no.” “No,” I said to Marco’s father. “I’m Marco’s dad. Are you a friend of his?” “Yes.” “What’s your name?” “No,” I answered. “Your name is ‘No’?” “Yes.” “That’s an unusual name, isn’t it?” “No.” “It’s not?” “Yes.” “Yes, it’s not an unusual name?” “No.” “Now I’m totally confused.” “Yes.” Marco’s father stared at me. Then, in a loud voice, he yelled, “Hey, Marco? Marco? Would you . . . um . . . your friend is here. Your friend ‘No’ is here.” “No,” I said. “Yes, that’s what I said.” Marco came running down the stairs. “Whoa!” he cried. “Um, Dad! You met my friend?” “No?” Marco’s father said. “What?” Marco asked. Marco’s father shook his head. “I must be getting old. I don’t understand you kids.” “Yes,” I offered.”
― Katherine Applegate, The Alien