How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
She saw the gleaming golden stone floor of the hall stretching away into distance; she saw the edges of rugs, like richly colored islands in a molten sea, and she saw, in the glory of sunlight—like a dreamed-of gateway to fairyland—the open front door. (7.26)
Wow—the last time we checked, the "dreamed-of gateway to fairyland" is in Disney World. Our front door looks a little more like, oh, this.
Quote #2
Oh, the warmth of the stone flags as she ran across them… the landing sunlight on her face and hand… the awful space above and around her! Pod caught her and held her at last, and patted her shoulder. "There, there…" he said, "get your breath—good girl!" (7.31)
Those exclamation points say it all. If those don't convey all kinds of awe and amazement, well then we don't know what would.
Quote #3
Panting a little, Arrietty gazed about her. She saw great chair legs rearing up into sunlight; she saw the shadowy underside of their seats spread above her like canopies; she saw […] odd tails of silk and string; she saw the terraced stairs, mounting up into the distance, up and up… (7.32)
If we were experiencing this scene, we'd probably narrate it something like this: Oh, there's another chair. Probably has gum stuck up under it. And ugh, I've gotta climb those stairs again. Arrietty, on the other hand? It's as if she's seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time.