Quotable Kids

[Jenna Boyd in Feb. 2006, with brother, Cayden. © Chris Hatcher / Photorazzi]

My interviews with children are a constant source of joy in my life. Their tender hearts, disarming honesty and surprising wisdom is a delight. Sometimes the most colorful and beautiful bits don't make the article. Today I've assembled some of my favorite quotes from interviews over the past few years. Enjoy!

“If you score high enough on your 9th-grade test you can go to university — which is like college — but otherwise you’re going to become something like a hot dog seller. If I was an orphan, it would be really hard to score well on my reading because of my dyslexia, and I might become a person who makes quilts. That’s really unfair because you should have a choice of what you want to be.”

—Nick Johnson, 10, contemplating what his life might be like if he were Russian Orphan

“My whole life I thought I was a Christian because I believed in God, and I knew about Him. But I had never really accepted Him in my heart. My pastors kept talking about how knowing about God was not enough. You really needed to accept Him and try to live for him every day. I knew I had not done that.”

—Actress Jenna Boyd, 12, reflecting on what brought her to the decision to follow Christ at age 11

“They actually taught me how to head dance. I had head choreography. People would be like, ‘Wow! Where did you learn those head moves?’ “

—Broadway actor and singer Nicholas Jonas, 12, on playing Chip the teacup in “Beauty and the Beast”

“I share the Lord with my friend Joey. He’s not saved. I keep praying for him. I’m not going to give up until he gets saved. I just love Joey. I love him, and I want him to go to heaven.”

—Singer Joseph Fortune, 6, sharing his heart for evangelism

“Being an animal, you have to develop a character that you barely know how to do. I have to be a human and a bear at the same time. I have these growls and a deep scratchy voice. I added a wobble to my walk.”

—Levi Larson, 12, on the difficulties of playing a bear in “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe”

“I don’t really know how it works, but somehow I just kinda start hanging out with someone. Like I say something and they like what I said, I guess, and we just start hangin’ out, ya know?”

—Actor Luke Benward, 11, on making friends