Having a friend made everything else suck less. Laurie Halse Anderson More Quotes by Laurie Halse Anderson More Quotes From Laurie Halse Anderson Having to parent your mother or father is a challenge that way too many teens have to deal with. Teens whose parents are dealing with substance abuse, financial hardship, job loss, mental illness and divorce deserve our love, support, and compassion. I wish America would stop judging and criticizing teens and instead, try to understand the battles they have to fight every day. Laurie Halse Anderson motherjobsfather Picasso.” He whispers like a priest. “Picasso. Who saw the truth. Who painted the truth, molded it, ripped from the earth with two angry hands. Laurie Halse Anderson earthtwohands Used to be that my whole body was my canvas-hot cuts licking my ribs, ladder rungs climbing my arms, thick milkweed stalks shooting up my thighs. Laurie Halse Anderson ribsclimbingcutting They say they have noticed me drawing. I almost tell them right then and there. They noticed. Laurie Halse Anderson drawing I want to be in fifth grade again. Now, that is a deep dark secret, almost as big as the other one. Fifth grade was easy -- old enough to play outside without Mom, too young to go off the block. The perfect leash length. Laurie Halse Anderson blockmomdark If I ever form a clan, we'll be the anti-cheerleaders and walk under the bleacher forming mild acts of mayhem. Laurie Halse Anderson clansanarchycheerleader It's easier to floss with barbed wire than admit you like someone in middle school. Laurie Halse Anderson wireeasierschool I wish America would stop judging and criticizing teens and instead, try to understand the battles they have to fight every day. Laurie Halse Anderson fightingjudgingamerica Bologna girl, that's me. Laurie Halse Anderson bolognagirl They yell at me because I can't see what they see. Nobody can explain to me why my eyes work different than theirs. Laurie Halse Anderson because-i-candifferenteye Do they choose to be so dense? Were they born that way? I have no friends. I have nothing. I say nothing. I am nothing. Laurie Halse Anderson no-friendsspeakway I like cheeseburgers too much to be a model. Laurie Halse Anderson cheeseburgermodelstoo-much I nod like I’m listening,like we’re communicating, and she never knows the difference. Laurie Halse Anderson communicatedifferenceslistening I doubt trees are ever told to 'be the screwed-up ninth-grader.' Laurie Halse Anderson screwed-updoubttree I swallowed the fear. It’s always there– fear– and if you don’t stay on top of it, you’ll drown. I swallowed again and stood tall, shoulders broad, arms loose. I was balanced, ready to move. My body said, “Yeah, you’re bigger and stronger, but if you touch this, I will hurt you. Laurie Halse Anderson strongerhurtmoving Think about love, or hate, or joy, or pain- whatever makes you feel something, makes your palms sweat, or your toes curl. Focus on that feeling. When people don't express themselves, they die on piece at a time. Laurie Halse Anderson painhatethinking The constitution does not recognize different classes of citizenship based on time spent living in the country. I am a citizen, with the same rights as your son, or you. As a citizen, and as a student, I am protesting the tone of this lesson as racist, intolerant, and xenophobic. Laurie Halse Anderson rightscountryson Don't expect to make a difference unless you speak up for yourself. Laurie Halse Anderson making-a-differencedifferencesspeak The stars whirled above us and the firecrackers blazed. The moon stood watch as drops of blood fell, careless seeds that sizzled in the snow. Laurie Halse Anderson starsmoonblood I was good at digging holes. It was the rest of life I sucked at. Laurie Halse Anderson diggingrest-of-lifedigging-a-hole
