Tomas Elstein

“For me, the inside wires that connect to my physical body are sort of like the ones inside that fixture. They’re pretty much fried. But the wires to my brain—ah! Absolutely, exceptionally excellent! And that made me think about how here at camp, no one was doing what so many people I’ve met seem to do. Lots of folks still have a tendency to just look at me from the outside. They notice the wheelchair and the head wobbling and the fact that my hands just can’t hold still. I drool sometimes—which, yes, is totally embarrassing. Folks don’t often look deep enough to see the kid who knows the names of every single bone in the human body. I’m almost twelve, but I read on a twelfth-grade level. Lots of that is thanks to Mrs. V, who never saw me as unplugged, but only saw my power.”
― Sharon M. Draper, Out of My Heart

“On his arm he wore an armband with a star on it.”
― John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

“goofy Goosebumps books.”
― Sharon M. Draper, Out of My Mind

“This was something straight out of a dream.”
― Sharon M. Draper, Out of My Dreams