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Picture books are being marginalised. I get the feeling children are being pushed away from picture books earlier and earlier and being told to look at 'proper' books, which means books without pictures.

I do not remember any proper children's books in my childhood. I was not exposed to them.

I didn't read children's books when I was a child. The only books in our house were ration books.

I wish I had had my books when I was a kid, I do.

I grew up in a house with very few books.

When I meet children at book signings, they'll bring me photos of when I first met them many years ago when they were reading my picture books, and now they're telling me how much they enjoy my novels.

My first four books were not published because nobody wanted them. They were adult books, not kids' books.

My father brought me a box of books once when I was about three and a half or four. I remember the carton they were in and the covers with illustrations by Newell C. Wyeth.

Last year I think I made more from my Image books than anywhere else.

The illustrations in picture books are the first paintings most children see, and because of that, they are incredibly important. What we see and share at that age stays with us for life.