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I remember failing reading in school at a young age, and you just kinda get left behind and I felt helpless.

When it comes down to helping kids, a lot of ways for education to move forward is through music because that's exciting to kids. Reading books and going to a bookstore is not that exciting.

The most inspiring piece of advice I've gotten is simply to persevere. My mom taught me to always keep going no matter what from an early age. When it feels too difficult to push forward, I always remind myself, 'This too shall pass,' and then I redouble my efforts.

If my books can help children become readers, then I feel I have accomplished something important.

I hope my books empower kids, and that they learn how to work out their problems themselves.

I wasn't a very good student in elementary school and had a hard time with reading and writing.

I was accorded the opportunity to learn by failing - albeit at the cost of a few honourable teachers' sanity - and now I realise what a rare and incredible luxury that is.

I can get motivated seeing a kid at my son's school overcome a learning disability.

I've started lots of books, but it's hard for me to finish them.

I read over a hundred books a year and have done so since I was fifteen years old, and every book I've read has taught me something.