Communication Quote by Robin McKinley
““Rosie hated her curly golden hair. When she was old enough to hold minimal conversations, the itsy-bitsy-cutesycoo sort of grown-ups would pull the soft ringlets gently and tell her what a pretty little girl she was. She would stare at this sort of grown-up and say, “I am not pretty. I am intelligent. And brave.” The grown-ups usually thought this was darling, which only made her angry, perhaps partly because she was speaking the truth, although it was tricky to differentiate between “brave” and “foolhardy” at three or four years old.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, 1994
A child resists superficial compliments, asserting intelligence and bravery over appearance.
In simple terms: A girl values mind and courage over looks.
Key Takeaway
Encourage self-definition beyond appearance.
Themes
self-esteem
gender
identity
courage
Mood
inspirational
critical
Type
literary
social commentary
When to use this quote
- school bullying
- family expectations
- self-image development
- adolescence
Key Concepts
self-acceptance
social pressure
Questions to Reflect On
- How does society shape girls’ self‑image?
- When does bravery become recklessness?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on appearance can limit growth; bravery may be misinterpreted.
![“Rosie had been a little girl with a dead dad, and there was no getting around that or over that. Even a drunk dad, even an asshole, was better than a dead dad, which shouldn't reflect on you but did, and left a cannon hole in your heart. [p. 121]” quote by Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e6b/anne-lamott-188_little-girl_rosie-had-been-a-little-girl-with-a-dead_1756634.jpg)
![“Rosie [her teenage daughter] had a secret life now, was putting together her own tribe, finding her identity there, and it was great to see, and it hurt like hell.” quote by Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac4/anne-lamott-188_children_rosie-her-teenage-daughter-had-a-secret_38724.jpg)
![“[the sheep] sidled up beside him and bumped him lovingly with its head. Val looked at it sadly. "I am sorry, you ugly creature," he said. "I have not used my magic in a long time, and I am very out of practice.” quote by Robin McKinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/21b/robin-mckinley-1591_humor_the-sheep-sidled-up-beside-him-and-bumpe_182306.jpg)
