The laureateship [of U.S. Children's Poet] has brought me a couple of appealing contracts, including my first anthology, the 200-poem The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry.Apart from the increased travel, I won't let anything interfere with writing poetry.

I won't be sad too often, If they bury me in the library With bookworms in my coffin.

Poetry is the tunnel at the end of the light.

A bad book owes to many trees | A forest of apologies.

"Chocolate mustache" is from a line in the book. It's my favorite title (chosen by me), so I'm pleased that Never Spit was tossed.

I have always believed that poems beg to be read aloud, even if the reader is in a world all her own.

The Ladybug wears no disguises. She is just what she advertises. A speckled spectacle of spring, A fashion statement on the wing.... A miniature orange kite. A tiny dot-to-dot delight.