Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.

The draft that finally goes to my editor doesn't get into her hands until I have read it out loud innumerable times - sometimes into a tape recorder - to make sure that it sounds right.

Love!' said the princess. She stamped her foot. 'Why must everyone always speak of love?

The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story.

Reading is my passion.

It is always just telling a story, regardless of the age of the reader. Except, if I'm writing something for kids, I know there has to be hope. I don't necessarily feel that responsibility for adults, but I emphatically feel it for children. That's the only difference. There's no syntax difference. There's no semantics difference. There's no thematic difference.

And so he was reading the story as if it were a spell and the words of it, spoken aloud, could make magic happen.