Laura Amy Schlitz Quotes

Powerful Laura Amy Schlitz for Daily Growth

About Laura Amy Schlitz

Laura Amy Schlitz (born September 18, 1966) is an award-winning American children's book author and musician, known for her lyrical storytelling, rich historical detail, and complex characters. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Schlitz grew up surrounded by music, as her father was a conductor at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University. Her early love for literature blossomed when she was given a copy of "The Chronicles of Narnia" at the age of seven. After earning her Bachelor's degree in English from Haverford College, Schlitz worked as a teaching artist and a theater musician before turning to full-time writing. Her first book, "A Drowned City: A Tale of Hector Protector," published in 2005, was a New York Times bestseller and garnered critical acclaim for its haunting storytelling and vivid historical detail. Schlitz's breakthrough came with the publication of "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village" (2007), which won the prestigious Newbery Medal, recognizing the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. This was followed by the critically acclaimed "The Hero Schlingensiffter" (2009), a whimsical tale set in the Ottoman Empire. In 2017, Schlitz won her second Newbery Medal for "Quick as a Cricket," a poignant story about two young boys in Baltimore during World War I. Her latest work, "The Hired House" (2021), is a haunting tale of love, loss, and redemption set in a haunted mansion in 19th-century Ireland. Throughout her career, Schlitz has been inspired by historical events, fairy tales, and the power of music to tell stories. Her novels are characterized by their richly detailed settings, intricate plots, and memorable characters that resonate with readers of all ages.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"We dance for laughter, we dance for tears,

This quote by Laura Amy Schlitz suggests that dance serves a dual purpose – it can express joy and happiness (dance for laughter) as well as sorrow and sadness (dance for tears). It's a powerful reminder that art, like dance, has the ability to mirror and communicate our emotional experiences, allowing us to connect deeply with others and find solace in shared feelings.


We dance for madness, we dance for fears."

This quote suggests that dancing serves as a means to express deep-seated emotions such as madness or fear. Through movement and rhythm, individuals can find release from overwhelming feelings and channel them in a creative and cathartic way. Dance, in this context, becomes a powerful tool for emotional expression and healing.


"Words have power; they can hurt or heal, destroy or build up. Choose them wisely."

The quote emphasizes the significant impact that words carry in our interactions with others. They have the ability to inflict pain or offer comfort, cause harm or foster growth. Therefore, it is crucial to be mindful about the choice of words we use, ensuring they are used responsibly and constructively for a positive impact.


"I believe that everything beautiful leads back to the sea."

This quote suggests a profound connection between beauty and the ocean, implying that any form of beauty we encounter in life can be traced back to the inherent, untamed splendor of the sea. It implies an interconnectedness of all things beautiful with the vast, mysterious, and ever-changing essence of the sea - a reminder that life, like the ocean, is full of mystery, rhythm, and beauty waiting to be discovered.


"The world is a big place, and there are so many secrets in it."

This quote emphasizes the vastness and mystery of our world. It suggests that despite the known aspects of life, there remain countless unknowns waiting to be discovered. It encourages curiosity, exploration, and understanding, implying that every corner of the globe holds secrets to unveil and lessons to learn.


"Kindness is the root of all magic."

This quote suggests that kindness, as a fundamental virtue, can bring about transformative, positive changes in our world, much like magic. When we show kindness to others, we create an atmosphere of compassion, empathy, and understanding, which can help heal wounds, resolve conflicts, and foster growth in relationships and communities. Kindness has the power to inspire change, uplift spirits, and bring about a sense of wonder and enchantment, making it the root or foundation for all magical transformations.


When I was 4 years old, I woke up in the middle of the night and told my parents there was a witch crying outside in the boxwood bushes. I didn't know who she was or why she was crying, but I was terribly upset.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Middle, Upset, Woke, Witch

People tend to associate fairies with princesses, but they couldn't be more different. Princesses have dynastic and domestic pressures, and they get parked on glass hills. Fairies don't have families. They don't clean or cook. They sip nectar from flowers and dance by the light of the moon.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Associate, Princesses, Fairies

I was fascinated by fairies when I was growing up, and I wanted to see one dreadfully.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Growing Up, Growing, See, Fairies

I became fascinated by marionettes, which I first saw in Venice. They were so haunted and so alive. You walked by them, and you could feel their presence, with their beady eyes just fixed on you.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Alive, Which, Became, Haunted

One day, I was at my grandmother's house, and I found diaries that she kept as a young girl. I opened one to a page that had flowers glued inside. In her childish handwriting, my grandmother wrote, 'Pap died today. I am very sad.' The fact that this was true and that I could see the withered flowers made a huge impression on me.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Fact, Very, Young Girl, Handwriting

As an author, you think you know where the good parts and the bad parts are. And then you read to a group of children, and you learn when you're boring them, and you hurry through those sections to get to the parts where they're interested again. You start to get a sense of your story's rhythm and flow.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Bad, Through, Your, Flow

I'm like a crockpot on low heat. My mind constantly comes up with ideas, but I abandon a lot of them after a week or two. It's the ones that keep coming to me, that keep picking up flavors, that haunt me, those are the ones that wind up getting written.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Heat, Week, Flavors, Wind

Folklore has a moral center to it. Folklore is always, always, always on the side of the underdog, and children have a natural instinct towards justice. They feel indignation at needless cruelty and wistfulness about acts of mercy and kindness.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Always, Cruelty, Side, Mercy

Sometimes I feel like an impostor, and I have to remind myself, 'You are able to do this.' I look at the books on the shelf that have my name on them to remind myself I have done it before and, likely, I can do it again.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Like, Before, Likely, Shelf

I could make up characters till the cows came home. Plot's what hard. Very hard.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Could, Very, Till, Make Up

If you're not going to wear a tiara when you win a Newbery Award, when are you going to wear one?

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Win, Going, Wear, Award

I tried for years to get an agent because I was told you needed an agent. The agent-hunting process was grim indeed.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Process, Needed, Agent, I Tried

Novels taught me that history is dramatic. I wanted my students to know that, too.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Taught, Wanted, Too, Dramatic

I tell 'Hansel and Gretel' stories about heroic children who are lost in a world that seems friendly at first, and then isn't.

- Laura Amy Schlitz

Tell, Stories, About, Friendly

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