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Children's authors don't talk down or patronise their younger readers.

We write not only for children but also for their parents. They, too, are serious children.

I always love writing about children.

I've always been interested in writing about people, including young children who are not able to speak for themselves. As in my novel 'Black Water,' I provide a voice for someone who has died and can't speak for herself.

It is extremely important to me to write for children.

You must never lose that touch of childishness. You need it if you wish to write for children, if you wish to understand the heart of a child. Children are good, you see. And they expect good.

It seems to me that not only the writing in most children's books condescends to kids, but so does the art. I don't want to do that.

I'm aware of what kids like because I'm constantly in touch with them. Also, they say that a lot of people who write for children can remember their own childhoods vividly and I can remember my childhood very vividly.

I like writing for children. It seems to me that most people underestimate their understanding and the strength of their feelings and in my books for them I try to put this right.