Welcome to the world of Katherine Paterson, where words weave magic and stories come alive. Katherine Paterson is a renowned American author, celebrated for her captivating storytelling and profound insights into the human experience. With a career spanning decades, Paterson has left an indelible mark on literature, enchanting readers of all ages with her rich narratives and poignant characters.
Born in China and raised in the United States, Paterson’s multicultural upbringing deeply influences her writing, infusing her stories with a unique blend of perspectives and themes. From the timeless classics like Bridge to Terabithia to the award-winning Jacob Have I Loved, her works explore themes of love, loss, friendship, and the resilience of the human spirit. Paterson’s ability to craft deeply emotional narratives has earned her numerous accolades, including two Newbery Medals and the National Book Award for Children’s Literature. Her words resonate with readers, touching hearts and inspiring minds across generations. As you explore this page, prepare to be inspired and moved by the wisdom and beauty of Katherine Paterson’s quotes.
We do have trouble dealing with death, but it’s the one thing that is guaranteed we are all going to have to do, and we are going to have to face it many times before we die ourselves. Katherine Paterson
I’d like for the young people, and older ones, too, who don’t count themselves as readers, to know the joy of reading and what it does to enrich your life in so many ways. Katherine Paterson
Reading asks that you bring your whole life experience and your ability to decode the written word and your creative imagination to the page and be a co-author with the writer, because the story is just squiggles on the page unless you have a reader. Katherine Paterson
Death is very mysterious to us. One moment someone is there with us, and the next moment they’re not. Katherine Paterson
I know a movie and a book are two different things and you are going do different media in different ways. No author can want a movie to be exactly like the book because then it will be a bad movie. Katherine Paterson
All of us use art and literature as an escape from time to time, but if it’s any good, it has a healing quality – a quality that enlarges our human spirits. Katherine Paterson
I love to read. But I loved to read a lot longer than I started to love writing. Katherine Paterson
Kids often ask me if characters are real or made up – and I always tell them, ‘I hope they’re real but I made them up.’ Katherine Paterson
I’m a great believer in research. I have to know about a place before I write a story that is set in that place. Katherine Paterson
I like to write about a lot of things, which is why my books are different. This is probably why I don’t like to write sequels, but chiefly I like to write about people. Katherine Paterson
Some say it is the elements of hope and wonder in children’s books that make them special. But there are many dark young adult novels these days. Adults loved Harry Potter, though it was written for the young. In the end, it is probably up to the reader of any age to decide if this book is for him or her. Katherine Paterson
It is always sad to write about prejudice, but sometimes when we see it being played out in the lives of fictional characters, we can recognize it in our own lives. Katherine Paterson
If you’re a kid who is always on the outside hoping to be on the inside, you’re watching a lot. You’re trying to figure out how to become a normal person in a society that considers you weird. Katherine Paterson
The best thing about being a writer is it gives you readers who understand your deepest feelings and fears. Katherine Paterson
Obviously, I love to do both contemporary and historical fiction. When a hint of a story grabs me, I try to go with it to see where it will take me whatever the setting. Katherine Paterson
Children have to have access to books, and a lot of children can’t go to a store and buy a book. We need not only our public libraries to be funded properly and staffed properly, but our school libraries. Many children can’t get to a public library, and the only library they have is a school library. Katherine Paterson
I can’t believe there will ever be a time when the book is truly obsolete. It is the perfect technology and feeds the soul. Katherine Paterson
If you’re so afraid of your imagination that you stifle it, how are you going to know God? How can you imagine heaven? Katherine Paterson
It’s such a thrill when an adult comes up to me and says, ‘I read your book as a child and really loved it.’ That’s a tremendous compliment. Katherine Paterson
The problem with people who are afraid of imagination, of fantasy, is that their world becomes so narrow that I don’t see how they can imagine beyond what their senses can verify. We know from science that there are entire worlds that our senses can’t verify. Katherine Paterson
A story is open-ended. A story invites you into it to make your own meaning. Katherine Paterson
I think if a book has the power to move a reader, it also has the power to offend a reader. And you want your books to have power, so you just have to take what comes with that. Katherine Paterson
I love writing for young adults because they are such a wonderful audience, they are good readers, and they care about the books they read. Katherine Paterson
I guess real maturity, which most of us never achieve, is when you realize that you’re not the center of the universe. Katherine Paterson
