Quotessence
Home / Books / A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Book by Betty Smith · 8 quotes · Growing Up, Book, Reading

Filter quotes by topic

AllGrowing UpBookReadingBrooklynMadePeopleWayWorldChildrenDifferentLibraryTreeWantWritingBeautifulBornGivenHardImaginationLittles

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Quotes

“Oh, magic hour when a child first knows it can read printed words! For quite a while, Francie had been spelling out letters, sounding them and then putting the sounds together to mean a word. But one day, she looked at a page and the word “mouse” had instantaneous meaning. She looked at the word and the picture of the gray mouse scampered through her mind. She looked further and when she saw “horse”, she heard him pawing at the ground and saw the sun glint on his glossy coat. The word “running” hit her suddenly and she breathed hard as though running herself. The barrier between the individual sound of each letter and the whole meaning of the word was removed sound of each letter and the printed word meant a thing at one quick glance. She read a few pages rapidly and almost became ill with excitement. She wanted to shout it out. She could read! She could read! From that time on, the world was hers for the reading, She would never be lonely again, never miss the lack of intimate friends. Books became her friends and there was one for every mood. There was a poetry for quiet companionship. There was adventure when she tired of quiet hours. There would be love stories when she came into adolescence and when she wanted to feel the closeness to someone she could read a biography. On that day she first knew she could read, she made a vow to read one book a day as long as she lived.”

LoveLifeReadingGrowing UpAcceptanceA Tree Grow In Brooklyn
Book:A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Create image

“Those were the Rommely women: Mary, the mother, Evy, Sissy, and Katie, her daughters, and Francie, who would grow up to be a Rommely woman even though her name was Nolan. They were all slender, frail creatures with wondering eyes and soft fluttery voices. But they were made out of thin invisible steel.”

MadeEyeMotherNamesGrowsVoiceWonderGrowing UpCreaturesDaughterInvisibleMarySteelFrailKatieSlenderSissyNolan
Book:A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Create image

“Who wants to die? Everything struggles to live. Look at that tree growing up there out of that grating. It gets no sun, and water only when it rains. It's growing out of sour earth. And it's strong because its hard struggle to live is making it strong. My children will be strong that way.”

WayWantLooksChildrenHardEarthDiesStrongWaterStruggleSunGrowing UpGrowingTreeStrengthRainAdversityMy ChildrenStrength Through AdversitySourWanting To Die
Book:A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Create image

“Mother, I am young. Mother, I am just eighteen. I am strong. I will work hard, Mother. But I do not want this child to grow up just to work hard. What must I do, mother, what must I do to make a different world for her? How do I start?" "The secret lies in the reading and the writing. You are able to read. Every day you must read one page from some good book to your child. Every day this must be until the child learns to read. Then she must read every day, I know this is the secret”

KnowsWorldWantWritingChildrenBookDifferentHardAbleYoungLyingMotherReadingStrongGrowsSecretGrowing UpHard WorkPagesYour ChildrenGood BookEighteenDifferent WorldsI Am StrongYoung Mother
Book:A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Create image