I want young people to be hesitant to glorify war and to demand of their leaders justification for the sacrifices they ask of our citizens.

With my writing, what I want to do is humanize the young people I write about.

We need to tell young people that America was built by men and women of all colors and that the future of this country is dependent on the participation of all of our citizens.

I think it's difficult for young people to acknowledge being smart, to knowledge being a reader. I see kids who are embarrassed to read books. They're embarrassed to have people see them doing it.

The military people don't like it; the government probably doesn't like it, but the people should know what they're sending their young people into when they permit their governments to declare war and engage in war.

When you're young, you don't realize the sacrifices that people are making for you.