Willems Quotes & Sayings

A book, being a physical object, engenders a certain respect that zipping electrons cannot. Because you cannot turn a book off, because you have to hold it in your hands, because a book sits there, waiting for you, whether you think you want it or not, because of all these things, a book is a friend. It's not just the content, but the physical being of a book that is there for you always and unconditionally. — Mo Willems

the essence of the Hajj is Arafat. On the ninth day of the Hajj month all pilgrims gather on the great Plain of Arafat to offer their deepest heartfelt prayers. It's a reminder of Resurrection, when everyone will stand "naked" before God on Judgement Day and nothing counts but our actions and their effects upon our soul'. — Kristiane Backer

I always say, 'Books beat boredom,' said Amanda wisely. — Mo Willems

-a superb moon, round as a pumpkin and golden as honey, filling the rooftop world with light, and deep, mysterious shadow. — Barbara Sleigh

The first bowl of chocolate pudding was too hot, but Goldilocks ate it all anyway because, hey, it's chocolate pudding, right? — Mo Willems

If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, leave. — Mo Willems

A picture book is a motorcycle: small, loud, fun, and zippy.
An easy reader is a chartered bus: obliged to carry a rather dull passenger roster of sanctioned curriculum, plus the baggage of an approved, limited vocabulary. The trick is to design your chartered bus to be as cool and sexy as a motorcycle. — Mo Willems

Writing for children is as easy as describing the history of the Byzantium in three words. — Mo Willems

Aggle flabble kabble . . . snurp? — Mo Willems

Conditions may vary. We will strive to make your stay as comfortable as possible. However there will be turbulence. There will be unexpected events. There will be human error. Fortunately, we are happy to provide you love. At no extra cost. — Mo Willems

Sir William had only stayed in our company for two nights before leaving during a spectacularly blustery storm. As I watched him leave I evilly hoped that the wind would blow him straight off his horse. — M.L. LeGette

It's the middle of the day in China! — Mo Willems

I'm a floating TURNIP HEAD — Mo Willems

The Mennonites have Dirk Willems, who was arrested for his religious beliefs in the sixteenth century and held in a prison tower. With the aid of a rope made of knotted rags, he let himself down from the window and escaped across the castle's ice-covered moat. A guard gave chase. Willems made it safely to the other side. The guard did not, falling through the ice into the freezing water, and Willems stopped, went back, and pulled his pursuer to safety. For his act of compassion, he was taken back to prison, tortured, and then burned slowly at the stake as he repeated "Oh, my Lord, my God" seventy times over.8 — Malcolm Gladwell

We create our work for children not because they're "cute," but because they're human beings, deserving of respect. — Mo Willems

She went boneless. — Mo Willems

All of the life-changing awesome
words and pictures and ideas
inside your library are useless
without just one word outside
your library: Open. — Mo Willems

I believe style is a kind of meta-language whose secrets must be learned, which is made up not only of whatever text we are reading, but of the books we have been reading for years, whose outlines lie like watermarks beneath the lines of every new work we encounter. — Paul Willems

And the moral is: If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, leave. - Mo Willems, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs — Elisabeth Egan

My favorite book is my next one. I'm always hoping to make my next book my best one. — Mo Willems

An artist is waiting for the audience to understand the work. A craftsman is working to understand the audience. — Mo Willems

People think, Hey, I love kids, I want to write children's books. But they think children are happy. That's their first mistake. [Messinger, Jonathan. "Guilt for dinner: The Mo Willems interview." Hipsqueak. 5 May 2011. Web. 18 November 2011.] — Mo Willems

Salt water is and isn't the ocean. — Marty Rubin

I Want A Puppy! Right Here! Right Now! — Mo Willems

There are always exceptions,' replied Flea. 'They are what make you exceptional. — Mo Willems

I bet your mom would let me.
-Pigeon, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus- — Mo Willems

And the moral for Dinosaurs is: Lock the Back Door! — Mo Willems

The idea of the writer/producer in television is much younger than people think it is. — Matt Nix

First of all, I'm not even tired. — Mo Willems

If you're someone who's making film or TV or music, or any kind of art form now, there's a billion outlets and they all have an opinion. — Andy Samberg

Water, in Grace, is an all-or-nothing proposition, like happiness. When you have rain you have more than enough, just as when you're happy and in love and content with your life, you can't remember how you ever could have felt cheated by fate. — Barbara Kingsolver

Writers do not come out of houses without books. — Doris Lessing

The difference between children and adults is that they're shorter - not dumber. — Mo Willems