Ben

“A crossbow?” Pigeon asked.
I left my battle-ax in my other jeans,” the man said.”
― Brandon Mull, The Candy Shop War

“Could you just call me Pigeon?” he asked the teacher when she read his name.
“Does your mother call you Pigeon?”
“No.”
“Then to me you are Paul.”
...
“Nathan Sutter,” the teacher read.
“My mother never calls me Nathan.”
“Is it Nate?”
“She calls me Honeylips.”
― Brandon Mull, The Candy Shop War

“Hello," Newel said. "Look, Doren, we have visitors. Kendra, Seth, and ... Muriel's weirdo puppet."....Newel grabbed Seth's hand and shook it vigorously. "Congratulations. You just found yourself a secret entrance."
"So seriously," Doren said. "What's with the puppet?”
― Brandon Mull, Rise of the Evening Star

“Then I'm going?" Kendra asked.
The adults in the room exchanged tacit glances before nodding.
Then we only have one more problem left to discuss," Seth said.
Everyone turned to him.
How do I get invited”
― Brandon Mull, Grip of the Shadow Plague