With Katherine Paterson, readers get inspiring and educative quotes – mostly bordering around historical fiction and contemporary literature. The author is also a specialist in handing down important directions to children and young adults who are just coming of age. The best quotes of Katherine Paterson are outlined here.
On the Benefit of Reading
I woke up one morning and realized that what I wanted to say to everyone – children, young people, adults – was: Read for your life.
This quote is an excerpt from one of Katherine Paterson’s interviews where she talks partly about the importance of reading and how that was able to transform her own life from when she was little. She recounts that her mother used to read interesting children’s books out loud to her and her siblings in their Chinese home in Huai’an.
Katherine Paterson believes that reading is fundamental in defining how bright, knowledgeable, informed, and successful a person becomes. The author urges young persons, and adults to read as it is through reading that knowledge is acquired. Paterson gives all her literacy success and achievements to the culture of reading which was started early on in her life.
On Social Media Indulgence
As much pleasure as young people get from Twittering and texting, there is no way these activities will nourish their minds and spirits the way literature can.
Katherine Paterson also weighs in on young people’s indulgence in social media; an increasingly trending culture of the past two decades.
Although not entirely averse to its use, Paterson believes the world doesn’t need more people texting and spending time chit-chatting and twittering than it needs people who are willing to be creative and tilt the imagination. These people, she believes, are the ones to preserve tomorrow.
On The Power of Books on Readers
I think if a book has the power to move a reader, it also has the power to offer a reader.
Katherine Paterson talks about the influence and power books have on readers and how authors should always keep an open mind on the kind of reactions to expect from their readers. She believes there are two periods to a book’s lifespan.
The first period belongs to the book’s author and is the time during which he or she crafts the book. This stage usually doesn’t last that long as the writer has the liberty of owning and deciding the direction of the book. The second period comes after the book’s publication whereby the book is now in the hands of readers and completely out of the hands of its author.
Katherine Paterson believes that the second phase is more important and has a longer span – where millions of generational readers critique the book, interpret and find new angles to it that even the author themselves never knew they touched.
On Dreaming Big
A dream without a plan is just a wish.
Katherine Paterson is a fan of big dreams and ambitions; she had quite a few herself growing up; she wanted to become a movie star only fate had something else pan out for her.
To young persons who are coming of age, the author advises that they don’t limit themselves to only what they can see, but to go deep into the imagination, beyond what’s seen when setting their goals. But as far as this goes, she cautions that it’s not enough to just dream and be ambitious. The right amount of effort and work must be matched with it.
FAQs
What genre does Katherine Paterson write?
Katherine Paterson is widely known for writing books in the children’s genre, although her prolificness goes beyond that.
What other profession has Katherine Paterson worked aside from being a prolific writer?
Over the years, renowned author Katherine Paterson has had short stints in acting and missionary works before her big break in creative writing.
Is Katherine Paterson retired?
Katherine Paterson is currently relaxing in her Vermont home with her dog pixie. She doesn’t appear to have retired as she still keeps her post as the Vice President of NCBLA and still finds time to write – however mildly.
