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I think that writers of literary fiction would do well to read more books for children.

The children of great authors do not, as a rule, become writers.

I've always been drawn to writing for young readers. The books that I read growing up remain in my mind very strongly.

I think children love reading, and they will make time for it if we put the right books into their hands. And I hope I get the chance to keep being one of the people that writes them.

Children's books are often seen as the poor relation of literature. But children are just as demanding as adult readers, if not more so. I should know. I'm a children's writer myself.

My first generation of young readers now have not only children, but some of them have grandchildren to whom they're introducing their old passion.

No skill shapes a child's future success in school or in life more than the ability to read.

As a children's author, you get to advocate for reading and writing in general, in a way an adult author might not be able to. It's a really interesting dance we do to get literature into the hands of young people and to help them to become literate and become readers; we want them to grow up reading and continue to do so when they're adults.

If you read in front of your kids, it's very likely that they'll become readers, too.

Writing children's books gives a writer a very strong sense of narrative drive.