Hilary McKay

“Oh, Micheal darling!" "Don't call me darling, I'm a driving instructor!”

— Hilary McKay

Don't call me darling. I'm a driving instructor!

— Hilary McKay

“He says he needs mothering." "…Even if he didn't need mothering, which after all is only another way of saying he needs…

— Hilary Mckay

He likes driving very fast on the wrong side of the road," said Sarah. "Which I can completely understand.

— Hilary McKay

“I used to think that fifteen would be nearly grown up," said her sister Naomi, "until you started being it”

— Hilary McKay

The house had a name. The Banana House. It was carved onto a piece of sandstone above the front door. It made…

— Hilary McKay

Darling Daddy, This is Rose. The shed needs new wires now it has blown up. Caddy is bringing home rock-bottom boyfriends to…

— Hilary McKay

“Very helpful, I must say. Look at them in the eye and shout, and they understand every word..." (Mr. Warbeck in Sienna,…

— Hilary McKay

She'll soon forget." "Caddy," said Saffron impatiently, "she is headmistress of the private school! She's probably never forgotten anything in her whole…

— Hilary McKay

She had to go," said Rose. "It was because of her angel," said Indigo. "And because of Granddad," added Caddy. "And because…

— Hilary McKay

Make a wish," said Indigo. Rose made a wish and then asked, "Why?" "That's what I always do. Wish on the moving…

— Hilary McKay

How can I give you nothing? Do you seriously expect me to buy nothing, wrap up nothing, stick a gift tag on…

— Hilary McKay

Fishing in a bucket. The total hopelessness of the activity was very soothing. It was the perfect sport. Without the emotional stresses…

— Hilary McKay

Darling Daddy, This is Rose. So flames went all up the kitchen wall. Saffron called the fire brigade and the police came…

— Hilary McKay

I can only drive slowly." "That's all right." "And I can only do left turns." Rose ran downstairs, grabbed a road atlas,…

— Hilary McKay

Once, when Tom was over here, to tease Rose, I asked him, "Before she was born, can you remember? Were things just…

— Hilary McKay

“Oh, Caddy," said Saffron miserably. "I know. It's awful. But I'm going. We all should." "It will be so sad." "You have…

— Hilary McKay

“They arrived home again to a most peculiar sight. The small garden at the front of the Banana House had been transformed.…

— Hilary McKay

On the board was a list of words and phrases which her mother considered not suitable for use in college T-shirt design.…

— Hilary McKay

“Darling Daddy, Poor Saffy. She had a big fight in the boys toilets on Monday, did you know? A very big fight…

— Hilary McKay

Suddenly Saffron had a picture in her mind of Sarah waiting at the bottom of the wall, and she was angry with…

— Hilary McKay

“Even Dad likes it," said Caddy, and her father agreed that he did. In a way. Being a broad-minded, tolerant, artistic sort…

— Hilary McKay

“Eve darling," said Bill earnestly. "I swear I didn't . . . " "You sweared about me driving the car," interrupted Indigo.…

— Hilary McKay

“Rose's work of art took her all day, including two playtimes, story time, and most of lunch. At the end of school…

— Hilary McKay

It had not seemed to matter that Rose was only eight years old. "More than eight," said Rose. "Nearly nine." "Darling Rose,…

— Hilary McKay

“There are all sorts of families," Tom's grandmother had remarked, and over the following few weeks Tom became part of the Casson…

— Hilary McKay

“Darling Daddy, This is Rose. Very good news. Caddy is going to marry Micheal. In case you have forgotten because you have…

— Hilary McKay

“Caddy came home on Friday evening. Perfectly Harmless Patrick brought her in his battered old car... "Crikey, Caddy!" said Indigo, and he…

— Hilary McKay

Humans cannot fly, but they can get the flying feeling. All they need to do is go out at night into a…

— Hilary McKay

“Her mood was suddenly in free fall, a state she knew all too well. A heaviness inside. A hollow loneliness. A need…

— Hilary McKay

Saffy could tell by the feel of the darkness that Caddy was awake. She said, "Caddy, how far back can you remember?"…

— Hilary McKay

“You can't be disgusting to people just because they annoy you!" she exclaimed very crossly. "Thousands of people annoy me! Millions of…

— Hilary McKay

“He's an artist in London. We don't see him much." Tom gave him one of his quick, considering glances and asked, "Doesn't…

— Hilary McKay

“For Saffron," it said in shaky old writing on the damaged base, and on the other side, "Saffy's angel." Saffron, picking up…

— Hilary McKay

“Is this your holiday homework?" asked Sarah. "Don't do it, Rose! And Eve will write you a note to say it's iniquitous…

— Hilary McKay

“Darling Daddy, This is Rose. Saffy says everyone says it is Indigo's fault that their Head has two black eyes and a…

— Hilary McKay

“He had a charm about him sometimes, a warmth that was irresistible, like sunshine. He planted Saffy triumphantly on the pavement, opened…

— Hilary McKay

“I love people who play guitars on roofs!" said Rose, hopping along the pavement in one of her sudden happy moods. "Don't…

— Hilary McKay

He will grow up into one of those people who lean back to smile and jump so easily it looks like slow…

— Hilary McKay

Rose had the sort of eyes that manage perfectly well with things close by, but entirely blur out things far away. Because…

— Hilary McKay