James Preller > Quotes

“Middle School," Griffin repeated. "Where did they come up with that, anyway? We're in the middle of what, exactly? too old for elementary school, but not big enough for high school. So they shove us here. Look around. There's not an interesting person in sight, just a bunch of clones who want to be like everyone else.”
― James Preller, Bystander

“In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
― James Preller, Bystander

“Through it all, Eric didn’t say a word. He was innocent, Eric reminded himself, he never participated in the pranks. He never lifted a finger to harm David Hallenback. He didn’t think it was funny, so he usually walked away, pretending not to see. But Eric did see. Just like all the other kids in the halls. And he slowly began to recognize it for what it was.”
― James Preller, Bystander

“Yeah, but at least a guy will punch you in the face, you know what I mean? They do it and then it’s over. But with girls, we slice you up piece by piece. It’s like death by a thousand cuts.”
― James Preller, Bystander

“You get one life and it rolls out like a long hallway carpet. It begins on the day you are born and keeps on rolling until you drop. There's no refresh button, no start-over option.”
― James Preller

“I found my parents in the living room. They were playing chess.
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. Who’s winning?”
My dad grumbled. “Your mother just took my queen,” he complained. “Even after all the nice things I’ve done for her.”
My mom laughed. “What else should I do? Lose to you on purpose?”
“Yes!” my dad answered. “Lose to me on purpose! I love that idea!”
Yeesh. That’s my dad for you. A little goofy. “Um, Mom, Dad? Can you tell me some family stories?”
My dad slid his rock across the board. “Now’s not a good time, Theodore. I’m trying to destroy your dear mother.”
My mom moved her knight. “Check,” she said. She tried not to smile. But not hard enough.
“Uh, guys?” I asked. “Remember me? Your youngest son?”
― James Preller, The Case of the Ghostwriter

“Even worse, this family story stuff was getting in the way of my detective work. I doubted Sherlock Holmes ever had problems like mine.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Ghostwriter

“I'm a detective. I ask questions until I like the answers.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Haunted Scarecrow

“It didn't look like a meeting of Boy Scout Troop #67, if you know what I mean. Yeesh, teenagers.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Detective In Disguise

“I thought about the type of person who would steal a sled from Bigs Maloney. The thief would have to be brave, big, and tough. And more than a little crazy. Only a nut would mess with Bigs Maloney. It was my job to find the thief. And then, if I could, to stop Bigs from ripping off the poor guy’s arms and legs.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Great Sled Race

“Yeesh. I didn’t exactly love the idea of racing against Bigs Maloney. I’d rather go swimming with Orca the Killer Whale.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Great Sled Race

“Earl Bartholomew is a teenager. Believe me, you just can't trust teenagers. Besides," I added, "I think Earl's a little strange. He's taken too many ramps without a helmet.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Ghostwriter

“We rushed over to Joey’s house after school. Mila even brought a bag of popcorn for everyone to share. Oh, brother. It wasn’t like we were watching Nickelodeon. This was a home movie of Joey Pignattano rolling around in the snow.
And making goofy faces.
And sledding down the hill.
And walking up the hill.
And picking his nose.
And sledding down the hill. Then up again. Then down. Up. Down. Up.
After half an hour, I asked Joey, “Exactly how long is this video?”
He told me it was almost over.
I hoped he was right.
The movie played on. Meanwhile, I tried to decide which was worse: watching Joey’s home movie . . . or having a tooth pulled.
With rusty pliers.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Great Sled Race

“Mila punched me in the arm. "Don't get goofy on me, Jigsaw! Ghosts are not real. And they don't write books!"
I'll say this for Mila. She's got a pretty good right hand. My arm ached for the rest of the day.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Ghostwriter

“I didn't argue. "What time was it when you saw them?"
Mike glanced at Bobby. "About, um, eight-thirty."
"You must be part owl," I said. "Because it's hard to see in the dark.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Detective In Disguise

“Maybe that’s all she saw, the end of her suffering, the black, blank silence of the departed. No more bells, no more noises, no more voices and their terrible, disapproving faces. No past, no future, no more sad todays. No tomorrows.”
― James Preller, The Fall

“But all I had to show for the week was a blank sheet of paper.
Maybe I could tell Ms. Gleason I had come up with a new kind of poem--the invisible kind.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Kidnapped Candy

“Hold the phone,” I said. “I just want to finish this puzzle.” I had only six pieces left.
Stringbean looked around. “What phone?”
“There’s no phone,” I said. “I just need another minute of quiet.”
“So how can I hold the phone?” he asked.
“It’s just an expression,” I said. “Like ‘you’re pulling my leg.’”
Stringbean lifted an eyebrow. “I never touched your leg!”
“I never said you touched my leg,” I replied.
“You just did!” Stringbean explained. “You said I was pulling it.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I stated.
“Then why’d you say it?” Stringbean muttered.
Oh brother. I scratched the back of my neck. “Let’s try this again,” I said carefully. “I was only using an expression--a saying. Do you know what that is?”
Stringbean’s face was as blank as a brick wall. I took that as a no.
“Imagine I told you to put the lights out,” I said. “Would you take the lightbulbs and actually put them out in the backyard?”
Stringbean laughed. “Of course not. I’d just turn them off.”
“Exactly!” I said.
“But . . .”
“No buts, Stringbean,” I said. “Besides, what brings you here anyway?”
“My bicycle,” he answered.
I sighed. “I mean, why are you here?”
― James Preller, The Case of the Ghostwriter

“Good night, boys," he called kindly. "Sweet dreams."
Yeah. Sure. Sweet dreams.
Sour nightmares was more like it.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Marshmallow Monster

“Bigs jabbed a finger into my chest. Ping. It felt like an aluminum baseball bat. “I paid you,” he said. “Now I want my Velma back.”
“Easy on the chest, will you, Bigs? I store my heart in there.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Great Sled Race

“You’ll wait right here?” I asked Frank.
He nodded.
“If you hear any screams . . .”
“I’ll come running,” he said. “Don’t worry, Jigsaw. I’ll be right here. Trust me.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Ghostwriter

“I craned my neck and read the label. "We're looking for a kid named Eddie Bauer," I said.
"That's the clothing label!" Mila said.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Haunted Scarecrow

“Some days I hate everyone. But no one more than I hate myself.”
― James Preller

“It was hard to stay miserable with Mike around. But I'd try.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Detective In Disguise

“Bigs stepped forward, towering over me. I stared into his neck. Then I felt a brick crash down on my shoulder. Only it wasn’t a brick. It was Bigs Maloney’s hand.
“I want that sled back, Jigsaw,” Bigs said between clenched teeth. “It’s your job to get it back—or else.”
Bigs turned and marched toward the hill.
“Or else?” I whispered to Mila. “Or else what?! What do you think he means, or else?”
Mila just blinked. “I don’t know exactly,” she said. “But I think it would involve pain.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Great Sled Race

“A giggle, huh. I guess they think this is a joke,” I said. “Well, I’m not laughing.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Haunted Scarecrow

“When the store emptied, Frank gasped. “Goodness! You kids have to stop eating! If you’re not careful, you’re going to turn into grown-ups. We don’t want that, do we?”
― James Preller, The Case of the Ghostwriter

“I sometimes daydream about becoming somebody else. Anybody else. Not me. I imagine how I might lose myself, my old self.”
― James Preller, The Fall

“Oh, I didn't look under the sheet!" he said quickly. "Ms. Gleason told us not to, remember?"
I nodded. I remembered. It was starting to seem like I was the only one who did.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Kidnapped Candy

“He wiped his nose with his sleeve. Gross me out the door.”
― James Preller, The Case of the Great Sled Race