I feel sometimes that in children's books there are more and more grim problems, but I don't know that I want to burden third- and fourth-graders with them.

I have lovely memories of Los Angeles in the 1930s. I came down to live with my mother's cousin and they invited me to come and go to junior college for a year.

I was a very observant child. The boys in my books are based on boys in my neighborhood growing up.

Nothing in the whole world felt as good as being able to make something from a sudden idea.

When I was in the first grade I was afraid of the teacher and had a miserable time in the reading circle, a difficulty that was overcome by the loving patience of my second grade teacher. Even though I could read, I refused to do so.

I was an only child; I didn't have a sister, or sisters.

As a child, I disliked books in which children learned to be 'better' children.