Singing has never been particularly easy for me.

I'd like to be an original, to be myself and not a pale copy of anyone else.

I do think, where would kids be if it weren't for you and for the good pediatricians, and for the good parents? I passionately believe in sitting a child on your lap and tracing the lines of the book with your finger, and they can read before they know they can, if you bother enough. I did it with my kids, and they're doing it with their kids now.

Sadly I don't sing. I missed it for a long time, but my daughter Emma said something wonderful when I was feeling blue one day: "Mom, you've just found a different way of using your voice, and that's with your books." In a way, she's right. It's just a different way of expressing what I feel about music, individuality, art and all the things I've always loved.

Books make great gifts because they're everybody's favorite things.

I think I'm one of the very lucky ladies.

On the whole, I think women wear too much and are to fussy. You can't see the person for all the clutter.