People are usually surprised to hear this, but I don't really read children's books.

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

I read my books aloud before they were published.

Ramona stepped back into her closet, slid the door shut, pressed an imaginary button, and when her imaginary elevator had made its imaginary descent, stepped out onto the real first floor and raced a real problem. Her mother and father were leaving for Parents' Night.

I grew up before there were strict leash laws.

My mother would read aloud to my father and me in the evening. She read mainly travel books.

I don't necessarily start with the beginning of the book. I just start with the part of the story that's most vivid in my imagination and work forward and backward from there.