"It had been a difficult and unsettling night"

"It had been a difficult and unsettling night" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"And say which grain will grow and which will not"

"And say which grain will grow and which will not" - Macbeth by William Shakespeare

"We were inferior, therefore our history didn't matter"

"We were inferior, therefore our history didn't matter" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"It was the rattling that woke her"

"It was the rattling that woke her" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"The band of children following them grew louder"

"The band of children following them grew louder" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"He crossed the polished floor of the hall"

"He crossed the polished floor of the hall" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"The scorpion was black with a purple shine"

"The scorpion was black with a purple shine" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"It was almost as if the child was waiting for something to happen"

"It was almost as if the child was waiting for something to happen" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"He wondered how long ago this had happened"

"He wondered how long ago this had happened" - The Color of Shadows by Colm Toibin

"She was ready to leave once more"

"She was ready to leave once more" - The Color of Shadows by Colm Toibin

"He was always sure that his mother was alive"

"He was always sure that his mother was alive" - The Color of Shadows by Colm Toibin

"She looked at him and nodded cheerfully"

"She looked at him and nodded cheerfully" - The Color of Shadows by Colm Toibin

"As the year went on, and spring gave way to summer"

"As the year went on, and spring gave way to summer" - The Color of Shadows by Colm Toibin

"The house had a smell of damp and old cooking"

"The house had a smell of damp and old cooking" - The Color of Shadows by Colm Toibin

"How was I supposed to know the story wasn't original?"

"How was I supposed to know the story wasn't original?" - Bandbox by Thomas Mallon

"The sight of such devotion acted as a reminder"

"The sight of such devotion acted as a reminder" - Bandbox by Thomas Mallon

"The koala looked up, understandingly, into its companion's eyes"

"The koala looked up, understandingly, into its companion's eyes" - Bandboy by Thomas Mallon

"The actress put out her hand"

"The actress put out her hand" - Bandbox by Thomas Mallon

"An agonized cry and some animal howling"

"An agonized cry and some animal howling" - Bandbox by Thomas Mallon

"Are you looking at my knees?"

"Are you looking at my knees?" - Bandbox by Thomas Mallon

"No, I'm way above that"

"No, I'm way above that" - Bandbox by Thomas Mallon

"He rose from his chair and put on his hat"

"He rose from his chair and put on his hat" - Bandbox by Thomas Mallon

"He, of all people, knows what's real and what's not"

"He, of all people, knows what's real and what's not" - Brother on Sunday by A. M. Homes

"He can see her reflection in the bathroom mirror"

"He can see her reflection in the bathroom mirror" - Brother on Sunday by A. M. Homes

"Every elf and fairy sprite hop as light as bird from brier"

"Every elf and fairy sprite hop as light as bird from brier" - A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

"They're so judgmental"

"They're so judgmental" - Pearls Before Swine 2009 Calendar by Stephan Pastis

"It was a yard wide, half as much tall ... it didn't do much"

"It was a yard wide, half as much tall ... it didn't do much" - The Gangsters by Colson Whitehead

"An old lampshade of rainbow-colored glass"

"An old lampshade of rainbow-colored glass" - The Gangsters by Colson Whitehead

"Zipping past the white fencing and rusting wire"

"Zipping past the white fencing and rusting wire" - The Gangsters by Colson Whitehead

"I smelled the sweetly muddy fumes of the potato fields"

"I smelled the sweetly muddy fumes of the potato fields" - The Gangsters by Colson Whitehead

"We were so grateful just to be there"

"We were so grateful just to be there" - The Gangsters by Colson Whitehead

"Can you tell me a bedtime story?"

"Can you tell me a bedtime story?" - Pearls Before Swine 2009 Calendar by Stephan Pastis

"To strive, to seek, ... "

"To strive, to seek, ... " - Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson

" ... to find, and not to yield"

" ... to find, and not to yield" - Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson

"I'll miss you too, Pig!"

"I'll miss you too, Pig!" - Peals Before Swine 2009 Calendar by Stephan Pastis