I don't think children's inner feelings have changed. They still want a mother and father in the very same house they want places to play.

I hope children will be happy with the books I've written, and go on to be readers all of their lives.

One rainy Sunday when I was in the third grade, I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered that even though I did not want to, I was reading. I have been a reader ever since.

With twins, reading aloud to them was the only chance I could get to sit down. I read them picture books until they were reading on their own.

If you don't see the book you want on the shelves, write it.

Quite often somebody will say, What year do your books take place? and the only answer I can give is, In childhood.

Children should learn that reading is pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school.

She was not a slowpoke grownup. She was a girl who could not wait. Life was so interesting she had to find out what happened next.

I didn't start out writing to give children hope, but I'm glad some of them found it.

Nothing in the whole world felt as good as being able to make something from a sudden idea.

I wanted to be a ballerina. I changed my mind.

Egalitarianism trumps elitism. Only a selfish fool will tell you otherwise

There are some things in this world that can be done over, and some that can't. And time passing is one thing that can't be undone. Come this far, and you can't go back.

Temujin nodded. He had every intention to do his bit in the battle, like his mother.

People who know me, they know I have a sense of humor, I'm a bit of a joker, a bit of a clown really, and I would love someone to exploit that side of me and send me a romantic comedy.

I sent a lot of ladies to the hospital. If you go and look at my record, a lot of the people I knocked out never fought again, or maybe one time and that was it.

Every new painting is like throwing myself into the water without knowing how to swim.

I don't mind what they say as long as they're not being mean.

I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.

I will say I am the sum of my books.

I can tell you that when you're willing to give your life up to see a dream through, the reward is great.