--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need a place,\" she said, \"just for us…" description: "\"“We need a place,\" she said, \"just for us. It would be so secret that we would never tell anyone in the whole world about it.\" ... She lowered her voic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8f/katherine-paterson-2365_heart_we-need-a-place-she-said-just-for-us-it_346901.jpg" --- # We need a place," she said, "just for us. It would be so… ![“We need a place," she said, "just for us. It would be so secret that we would never tell anyone in the whole world about it." ... She lowered her voice almost to a whisper. "It might be a whole secret country," she continued, "and you and I would be the rulers of it.” quote by Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8f/katherine-paterson-2365_heart_we-need-a-place-she-said-just-for-us-it_346901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8f/katherine-paterson-2365_heart_we-need-a-place-she-said-just-for-us-it_346901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8f/katherine-paterson-2365_heart_we-need-a-place-she-said-just-for-us-it_346901.jpg) > ““We need a place," she said, "just for us. It would be so secret that we would never tell anyone in the whole world about it." ... She lowered her voice almost to a whisper. "It might be a whole secret country," she continued, "and you and I would be the rulers of it.”” [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child imagines a hidden, private realm where they can be free and in control, away from adult expectations. **In simple terms:** Kids imagine secret worlds to escape reality. Key Takeaway Create safe spaces for imagination. Themes imagination escape control friendship Mood hopeful reflective Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - playtime - creative writing - friendship building - stress relief Key Concepts childhood fantasy psychological refuge Questions to Reflect On - What does your secret place protect? - How can imagination aid real growth? A Different Perspective Such fantasies may hinder confronting real-world challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [“We need a place", she said, "just for us. 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The face of the unknown, hidden beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/if-you-could-get-rid-of-yourself-just-once-the-secret-of-secrets/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Forget the haters they are just secret fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forget-the-haters-they-are-just-secret-fans/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just because you keep something a secret doesn't mean it never happened, no matter how much you want that to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/just-because-you-keep-something-a-secret-doesn-t-mean-it-never/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“You might as well go one place as another," he said. "That's all I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/you-might-as-well-go-one-place-as-another-he-said-that-s-all-i-know/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Thomas took a slow breath. His silver eyes grew even brighter. It was creepy as hell and fascinating. "I was hoping you knew a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/thomas-took-a-slow-breath-his-silver-eyes-grew-even-brighter-it-was/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“Choose your words carefully. The only place you can take back what you said is the Congressional Record.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-brackin/choose-your-words-carefully-the-only-place-you-can-take-back-what-you/) [Ron Brackin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-brackin/) > [“He told her, somewhat emotionally, that he wished she could have seen him when he was managing a Mediterranean restaurant north of San José.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/he-told-her-somewhat-emotionally-that-he-wished-she-could-have-seen/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“It is not at all a fit place for you ," said Clementina. "Gently, my lady. It is a greater than thou that sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-not-at-all-a-fit-place-for-you-said-clementina-gently-my-lady/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“That sounds like a pretty good place I said for something to say.' So much of what he said required no response, but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-miller/that-sounds-like-a-pretty-good-place-i-said-for-something-to-say-so/) [Mary Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-miller/) > [“Nice place," I said while prudently hovering near the only exit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-viehl/nice-place-i-said-while-prudently-hovering-near-the-only-exit/) S.L. Viehl > [“Before he left, he took an ivy leaf from a book that was in his pocket and handed it to me, with greetings from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oddn-eir/before-he-left-he-took-an-ivy-leaf-from-a-book-that-was-in-his-pocket/) [Oddný Eir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oddn-eir/) > [“Where you come from is gone, where you thought you were going to never was there, and where you are is no good unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/where-you-come-from-is-gone-where-you-thought-you-were-going-to-never/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) ## More by Katherine Paterson > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [“You're the proverbial diamond in the rough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/you-re-the-proverbial-diamond-in-the-rough/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [We do have trouble dealing with death, but it's the one thing that is guaranteed we are all going to have to do, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/we-do-have-trouble-dealing-with-death-but-it-s-the-one-thing-that-is/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Everybody gets scared sometimes, May Belle. You don't have to be ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/everybody-gets-scared-sometimes-may-belle-you-don-t-have-to-be-ashamed/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Obviously, I love to do both contemporary and historical fiction. When a hint of a story grabs me, I try to go with it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/obviously-i-love-to-do-both-contemporary-and-historical-fiction-when/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [I love revisions...We can't go back and revise our lives, but being allowed to go back and revise what we have written comes closest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/i-love-revisions-we-can-t-go-back-and-revise-our-lives-but-being/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [I woke up one morning and realized that what I wanted to say to everyone - children, young people, adults - was: Read for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-that-what-i-wanted-to-say-to/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Our fundamental task as human beings is to seek out connections-to exercise our imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/our-fundamental-task-as-human-beings-is-to-seek-out-connections-to/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [a work that intends to be art must first be entertaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/a-work-that-intends-to-be-art-must-first-be-entertaining/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [I do know that I need solitude, not only to write but to nourish myself (being, like most writers, an introvert) so that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/i-do-know-that-i-need-solitude-not-only-to-write-but-to-nourish/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Everything comes in useful once in a hundred years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/everything-comes-in-useful-once-in-a-hundred-years/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [“I had no study in those days, not even a desk or file or bookcase to call mine alone…It might have happened sooner \[the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/i-had-no-study-in-those-days-not-even-a-desk-or-file-or-bookcase-to/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [The challenge for those of us who care about our faith and about a hurting world is to tell stories which will carry the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/the-challenge-for-those-of-us-who-care-about-our-faith-and-about-a/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [One thing living in Japan did for me was to make me feel that what is left out of a work of art is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/one-thing-living-in-japan-did-for-me-was-to-make-me-feel-that-what-is/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [A dream without a plan is just a wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/a-dream-without-a-plan-is-just-a-wish/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) [Explore all 166 Katherine Paterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) ## More Heart quotes > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/) [Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) [Browse all 45,172 Heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We need a place,\" she said, \"just for us. It would be so secret that we would never tell anyone in the whole world about it.\" ... 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