Mysterious Benedict Society Quotes:

You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Family, Blood, Remember, Special Friend, Mysterious Benedict Society

One problem with being a leader, is that even among your friends you are alone, for it is you -- and you alone -- to whom the others look for final guidance.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Leader, Finals, Looks, Mysterious Benedict Society

The only rule is that there are no rules.

- Del Close

topic: Mysterious Benedict Society

No one seems to realize how much we are driven by FEAR, the essential component of human personality. Everything else - from ambition to love to despair - derives in some way from this single powerful emotion.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Powerful, Ambition, Personality, Mysterious Benedict Society, Powerful Emotions

Was it worse for him, Reynie wondered, to have felt loved and then rejected? Or was it worse to have always felt alone?

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Rejected, Mysterious Benedict Society

Remember, children. For every exit, there is also an entrance. ~ Milligan, The Mysterious Benedict Society

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Children, Exit, Mysterious, Mysterious Benedict Society

Something about this made Reynie uneasy. Had he done so badly? Was this meant to test his courage? He did as he was told, closing his eyes and bracing himself as best he could. "Why are you flinching?" the pencil woman asked. "I don't know. I thought maybe you were going to slap me." "Don't be ridiculous. I could slap you perfectly well with your eyes open. I'm only going to blindfold you.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Eye, Done, Tests, Mysterious Benedict Society, Blindfolds

If we're just trying to be accurate, then how about 'The Doomed to Fail Bunch'?" said Constance. "Honestly! We can't even name ourselves.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Names, Trying, Failing, Mysterious Benedict Society

You are the smartest children i know. You just don't beleive it.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Children, Mysterious Benedict Society

'Is that really the best you can say? An average-looking boy? An awful lot of boys are average-looking, S.Q.!' And poor S.Q., he just kept arguing that 'this boy was especially average-looking.' " ~ Kate Wetherall, The Mysterious Benedict Society

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Boys, Average, Awful, Mysterious Benedict Society

Oh dear,"cried Rhonda just then, for Mr. Benedict, awash in strong emotion, has gone to sleep.with a sudden loud snore he toppled forward into the attentive arms of Rhonda and Number Two, who eased him to the floor. "What's wrong with him?" Constance asked. "He has narcolepsy," said Kate. "He steals a lot?" "That's kleptomania," Sticky said. "Mr. Benedict sleeps a lot.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Strong, Sleep, Two, Strong Emotions, Mysterious Benedict Society

They stared out their window at night enough to know where the darkest shadows lay, and it was to the darkest shadows they kept.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Night, Shadow, Window, Mysterious Benedict Society

Good grief! They're going to call us inside soon, and Sticky hasn't even met Madge yet!" "Who's Madge?" Sticky asked. "Her Majesty the Queen!

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Queens, Grief, Majesty, Mysterious Benedict Society

Poor Kate,"said Constance,"she's lost her marbles.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Poor, Said, Lost, Mysterious Benedict Society

I think when I started to write The Mysterious Benedict Society that I had that kind of thing in mind - the notion of having to be able to solve puzzles and riddles because enormous stakes rode upon your ability to do that.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

source: "'Mysterious Benedict': Solve A Puzzle, Save The World". "All Things Considered", www.npr.org. March 26, 2012.

topic: Writing, Thinking, Mind, Mysterious Benedict Society

Daddy, will you take me to the mill, again?

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Daddy, Mills, Mysterious Benedict Society

The missing aren't missing, they're only departed, All minds keep all thoughts - so like gold - closely guarded,

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Missing, Departed, Mind, Mysterious Benedict Society

Is this what family is like: the feeling that everyone’s connected, that with one piece missing, the whole thing’s broken?

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Family, Broken, Missing, One Piece, Mysterious Benedict Society

The gym is always open, except when it's closed.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Gym, Mysterious Benedict Society

Children are capable of such open rudeness.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Children, Rudeness, Capable, Mysterious Benedict Society

Reynie's fce fell. 'It's not funny, Kate.' For a moment - a fleeting moment - Kate looked desperately sad. 'Well, of course it's not funny, Reynie Muldoon. But what do you want me to do? Cry?

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Want, Fleeting, Cry, Mysterious Benedict Society, Do You Want Me

Every great thinker keeps a journal, you know.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Thinker, Great Thinkers, Journal, Mysterious Benedict Society

Rules and school are tools for fools! I don't give two mules for rules.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: School, Two, Giving, Mysterious Benedict Society

Milligan! Come and tell us why you're so dreadfully glum!" ~ Constance, The Mysterious Benedict Society

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Mysterious, Mysterious Benedict Society

Why, then, do you think the white player might have done it?" Reynie considered. He imagined himself moving out his knight only to bring it right back to where it started. Why would he ever do such a thing? At last he said,"Perhaps because he doubted himself.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Moving, Player, Thinking, Mysterious Benedict Society, Moving Out

So what's your team called?" asked Kate, twisting her legs into a pretzel-like configuration, "We're called the Winmates because we're inmates who win." Kate looked back and forth at Reynie and Constance, searching their expression for signs of delight. "You gave yourselves a name?" asked Constance. Now it was Kate's turn to be baffled. "You didn't? How can you have a team without a name?

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Team, Winning, Names, Mysterious Benedict Society, Pretzels

She announced her age right away, for children consider their ages every bit as important as their names.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Children, Names, Age, Mysterious Benedict Society

And please don't call me that." I didn't call you 'that', I called you George Washington.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Call Me, Please, Mysterious Benedict Society

Grow the lawn and mow the lawn always keep the TV on, brush your teeth and kill the germs, poison apples, poison worms.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Apples, Germs, Tvs, Mysterious Benedict Society

At this, Constance sat down on a rock and covered her face. She seemed smaller than ever now - so small the harbor breeze might catch her up like a scrap of paper and carry her away, carry her into nowhere.

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Rocks, Paper, Might, Mysterious Benedict Society

Don't thank me,' Mr. Curtain called as the door slid closed. 'Impress me!

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Doors, Curtains, Impress, Mysterious Benedict Society

Oh, here's a clever one. Do you remember this question from the first test?It reads, 'What wrong with this statement?' And do you know what Constance wrote in reply? She wrote, 'What's wrong with you?

- Trenton Lee Stewart

topic: Clever, Firsts, Tests, Mysterious Benedict Society