"Our enemies make us strong, Miss Muffet, not our friends. Our friends will lie to us, tell us what we need to hear. Forgive us. We must keep a few good enemies on hand, always, to keep us sharp and teach us never to do anything that needs forgiveness."
American novelist best known for historical fiction for young readers, often set during the American Revolution and Civil War eras. Her books are widely used in educational settings for narrative introductions to U.S. history.