--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A small olive-skinned creature who had…" description: "\"A small olive-skinned creature who had hit puberty but never hit it very hard, Ben had been my best friend since fifth grade, when we both finally owne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/john-green-12_best-friend_a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-h_1367796.jpg" --- # A small olive-skinned creature who had hit puberty but… ![“A small olive-skinned creature who had hit puberty but never hit it very hard, Ben had been my best friend since fifth grade, when we both finally owned up to the fact that neither of us was likely to attract anyone else as a best friend.” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/john-green-12_best-friend_a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-h_1367796.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/john-green-12_best-friend_a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-h_1367796.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/john-green-12_best-friend_a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-h_1367796.jpg) > “A small olive-skinned creature who had hit puberty but never hit it very hard, Ben had been my best friend since fifth grade, when we both finally owned up to the fact that neither of us was likely to attract anyone else as a best friend.” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Friendship formed in childhood can persist despite insecurities, providing lasting support. **In simple terms:** Childhood friends stay close despite doubts. Key Takeaway Nurture early friendships for lifelong support. Themes friendship growth self‑acceptance Mood hopeful empathetic Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - school years - college life - adult relationships - self‑esteem Key Concepts adolescent development social bonds Questions to Reflect On - What qualities keep a friend close? - How do you support friends facing insecurity? A Different Perspective Friendships can change over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ben Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ben-best-4701033/) [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fifth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fifth/) [Fifth grade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fifth-grade/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friend Fifth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend-fifth-4701032/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Grades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grades/) [My best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-best-friend/) [Olives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olives/) [Puberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puberty/) ## Related quotes > [“Kelly and I saw a future (otherwise known as the sixth grade) in which we would remain invisible and unchanged while around us other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monique-truong/kelly-and-i-saw-a-future-otherwise-known-as-the-sixth-grade-in-which/) [Monique Truong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monique-truong/) > [Uh-uh, dude. I tried it your way with the dating and the girls and the kissing and the drama, and man, I didn't like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/uh-uh-dude-i-tried-it-your-way-with-the-dating-and-the-girls-and-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“She knows some of her thoughts are irrational. She knows it and has always known it, even in fifth grade, when she used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/she-knows-some-of-her-thoughts-are-irrational-she-knows-it-and-has/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [I taped the autopsy photos from Marilyn Monroe's death to my lunch box in fifth grade, and I would write stories in which someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-taped-the-autopsy-photos-from-marilyn-monroe-s-death-to-my-lunch/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I've been playing in makeup and, like, wearing makeup since fifth grade - so the earlier you start, the more you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latto/i-ve-been-playing-in-makeup-and-like-wearing-makeup-since-fifth-grade/) [Latto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latto/) > [“ Learning from Incorrect Information The messages that society sends you are not always accurate. Females often hear that they should be kind, gentle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/learning-from-incorrect-information-the-messages-that-society-sends/) [Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/) > [If you're prepared to invest in a company, then you ought to be able to explain why in simple language that a fifth grader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/if-you-re-prepared-to-invest-in-a-company-then-you-ought-to-be-able/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [I wrote a song at age five about algae on the pond by our house, then the next 'real' song was in fifth grade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-salpeter/i-wrote-a-song-at-age-five-about-algae-on-the-pond-by-our-house-then/) [Greta Salpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-salpeter/) > [Matt Bonner. That's the legend right there. I was in fifth grade and watched him play at our local high school. Sold out. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/matt-bonner-that-s-the-legend-right-there-i-was-in-fifth-grade-and/) [Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/) > [I remember when I was in the fifth grade - I was like, 'I want out of this. I want to do home-schooling. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-mclaughlin/i-remember-when-i-was-in-the-fifth-grade-i-was-like-i-want-out-of/) [Caleb McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-mclaughlin/) > [I got into therapy in the fifth grade because I said in a sarcastic way that I was going to kill myself, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-got-into-therapy-in-the-fifth-grade-because-i-said-in-a-sarcastic/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [I've been home-schooled since I was in the fifth grade, mainly because I had two brothers who were acting. We were from Kansas but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-schmidt/i-ve-been-home-schooled-since-i-was-in-the-fifth-grade-mainly-because/) [Kevin Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-schmidt/) > [I stumbled upon Charles White purely by chance while looking through a book 'Great Negroes, Past and Present' in the library at Forty-Ninth Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-stumbled-upon-charles-white-purely-by-chance-while-looking-through/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [You can go as far back as fifth grade, and you will find me tinkering with media and computers, making things that are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sloan/you-can-go-as-far-back-as-fifth-grade-and-you-will-find-me-tinkering/) [Robin Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sloan/) > [Everybody either wanted to take care of me or push me around, you know? I was teased a lot, sure I was, of course.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/everybody-either-wanted-to-take-care-of-me-or-push-me-around-you-know/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Best friend quotes > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) [Aviation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aviation/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Sometimes the right people can make your day. They're called best friends :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-the-right-people-can-make-your-day-they-re-called-best/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Here is your third gift from Me once again..I had a fourth gift it was about me making a video telling you how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilbear/here-is-your-third-gift-from-me-once-again-i-had-a-fourth-gift-it-was/) [LilBear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilbear/) > [Our friendship is like a cup of tea¦a special blend of you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/our-friendship-is-like-a-cup-of-tea-a-special-blend-of-you-and-me/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [When you have the most beautiful best friend in the world what more could I ask for I love you Tay :) you mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick/when-you-have-the-most-beautiful-best-friend-in-the-world-what-more/) [Nick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick/) > [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A Real Man will help build his woman's self esteem not break it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-s-voice/a-real-man-will-help-build-his-woman-s-self-esteem-not-break-it/) [Lisa's Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-s-voice/) [Browse all 6,524 Best friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A small olive-skinned creature who had hit puberty but never hit it very hard, Ben had been my best friend since fifth grade, when we both finally owned up to the fact that neither of us was likely to attract anyone else as a best friend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Green" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-hit-puberty-but-never-hit-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-hit-puberty-but-never-hit-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/john-green-12_best-friend_a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-h_1367796.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/john-green-12_best-friend_a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-h_1367796.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/john-green-12_best-friend_a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-h_1367796.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A small olive-skinned creature who had hit puberty but never hit it very hard, Ben had been my best friend…” — John Green", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Green", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A small olive-skinned creature who had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-hit-puberty-but-never-hit-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-small-olive-skinned-creature-who-had-hit-puberty-but-never-hit-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```