Books Quote by Katherine Hannigan
““In the book, hummin bins made castles, and towers up to the sky. They tamed the animals and took care of them. And hummin bins helped each other. They were always good. "When I was done, Ma asked, 'Delly, what are hummin bins?' 'They're like people, but better,' I said. Then I told her, 'When I grow up, I'm going to live with the hummin bins,' and she smiled. "But Galveston grabbed the book, 'Let me see that,' she said, and started laughing. 'This says human beings. There's no such things as hummin bins.' "'Ma, is it true?' I asked, and she nodded. 'How come you didn't tell me?' I cried. "'I liked the hummin bins better, too,' she said." ... "RB's right, Ferris Boyd. You are a hummin bin." Her eyeballs were wet, like they were swimming. It was quiet, then, till RB's soft cloud voice said, "You're a hummin bin, too, Delly.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Secret of the Hummin Bins by Katherine Hannigan, 2005
A child imagines a perfect community of caring beings, contrasting innocence with adult skepticism, highlighting yearning for belonging and idealism.
In simple terms: Kids imagine ideal societies, adults doubt them.
Key Takeaway
Cherish imagination, question cynicism.
Themes
imagination
belonging
idealism
generational gap
Mood
hopeful
reflective
nostalgic
Type
inspirational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- childhood play
- family storytelling
- teaching empathy
- creative writing
- coping with loss
Key Concepts
utopia
nostalgia
identity
acceptance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you nurture wonder while staying grounded?
- What does “hummin bin” represent for you?
A Different Perspective
Adults may dismiss imaginative hope as unrealistic.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
