With the adult ones, I feel I need to get as deep inside the psychology of a character as I can, and that needs to be first-person. In the children's books, I feel I need some distance. I don't want to be the nine-year-old at the center of the story. I need to have some type of narrative voice.

I am frustrated by celebrities who decide to write children's books because they think it's easy. That drives me crazy. It's frustrating because it's unfair to children. Because they'll get a lot of attention, they'll get a lot of marketing budget and so on just because they're a celebrity - the Madonnas, the Ricky Gervaises, the Russell Brands.

Bruno: We're not supposed to be friends, you and me. We're meant to be enemies. Did you know that?

(J)ust because your version of normal isn't the same as someone else's version doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with you.

You’re my best friend, Shmuel,’ he said. ‘My best friend for life.

In his heart, he knew that there was no reason to be impolite to someone, even if they did work for you. There was such a thing as manners after all.

I can't bear to be on a train without a book", she announced. " It's a form of self-defence in a way" .