How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"A boy ain't a boy too long" (2.4)
Jody doesn't get to be a boy too long—this whole story takes place the year he turns 12—but he still gets to be a boy a lot longer than Penny did, or than a lot of his peers did. Think about that next time you whine about having to take the trash out.
Quote #2
"Leave him build his flutter-mills. The day'll come, he'll not even care to" (2.24)
For "build flutter-mills," substitute "play LEGO Lord of the Rings," and you'll get a pretty good idea of what Jody spends his time doing. The difference is that flutter-mills lose their appeal after a while, but LEGO Lord of the Rings just keeps on giving.
Quote #3
"'Pore boy,' he said, 'has got to grow up and learn women—'" (11.240)
Women. Can't live with 'em, can't grow up without 'em. Seriously, though: this is all very funny ha ha, but it's also kind of true: for a lot of people, learning to interact with the opposite sex is one of the hardest, more potentially heart-breaking things about growing up.