What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

This is going to sound kind of weird, but I'm fifteen and I want to find a book I read back when I was eleven or twelve. I don't recall much about it, but there's one oddly-specific detail I can't seem to get out of my head... namely, that it contained a particular quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "I am a transparent eyeball." And one of the characters was French or something. I don't remember his name (or any of the characters' names, really), but that's one thing I do remember. Hopefully that rings a bell for someone out there, because my mind is otherwise drawing a complete blank and it's frustrating me.

Another thing worth noting: It wasn't a required book for a class or anything. I checked it out from the school's library and read it in my own spare time.

My memory is really bad and I apologize.

Maybe Bloomability?

Snippets: https://books.google.ca/books?id=_Zjt...

I think that might be it. The author definitely sounds familiar. Thanks!

Don't forget to come back and let us know.

Touko, was that your book? This has been in Possibly Solved for 5+ years.