When a kid says "smell my hand," it almost never smells like cinnamon. Brian P. Cleary More Quotes by Brian P. Cleary More Quotes From Brian P. Cleary Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames. Brian P. Cleary flames stories interesting Any cupcake consumed before 9AM is, technically, a muffin. Brian P. Cleary muffins consumed cupcakes When a kid can understand that a word can mean two things, there's some real thinking going on. They have a vested interest in finding out what a word means, because it's the punch line to a joke. Brian P. Cleary real mean kids It's perfectly okay if you don't understand every single one of them. Brian P. Cleary corny okay years It’s not technically gossip if you start your sentence with “I’m really concerned about __________________ ,” (fill in the name of the person you’re not gossiping about). Brian P. Cleary gossip persons names A good friend will help you plant your tulips. A great friend will help you plant a gun on the unarmed intruder you just shot. Brian P. Cleary good-friend gun helping If I have a talent for making some fourth-grader who hates school and reading to hate it a little less, then I have to do the most with what I've been issued. Brian P. Cleary hate reading school I like all things grammatical, and I had already written several books about parts of speech, and even the alphabet, so everything that makes up a sentence and even a word was covered except for punctuation. Brian P. Cleary alphabet speech book Kids enjoy laughing and are seldom bored when they find something funny. They also ask questions, often to adults, because they understand that the more words they can comprehend about a funny story or a joke, the more they'll enjoy it. Brian P. Cleary bored laughing kids You want a story? Read 'Gone With the Wind'. These aren't stories. They're joke books. The whole thing of a beginning, a middle and an end has been done to death. Brian P. Cleary gone wind book Not only is love blind, it’s a little hard of hearing. Brian P. Cleary hearing blind littles I love the semicolon; it's unnecessary, but graceful and sophisticated. Brian P. Cleary unnecessary sophisticated In writing I found something I could do at least as well as my peers, if not better. Brian P. Cleary peers found writing There’s no such thing as free kittens. Brian P. Cleary kitten Our cat is kind dove shellfish, and thinks the world is hers, She finds a comfy spot and then we pet turtle sheep purrs. Brian P. Cleary cat sheep thinking If a couple has their picture taken at a wedding or other social gathering, and the woman looks hot, her guy could be blinking, chewing, or even mid-sneeze, and she’ll still display it on her desk at work. Brian P. Cleary guy couple taken Children are like sponges; they start to smell after a little while. Brian P. Cleary smell littles children These are books that want to be read out loud. These are books kids share with each other, and I think that's important. Brian P. Cleary books think important want It's perfectly okay if you don't understand every single one of them. For one thing, I make a lot of corny jokes, and you have to be 40 years old to get some of them. Brian P. Cleary understand you single jokes