Mercy Watson was a character that had been in my head for a long time.

Magic is always impossible.... It begins with the impossible and ends with the impossible and is impossible in between. That is why it's magic.

Anybody who puts a book into someone else's hands inspires me - teachers, librarians, booksellers, parents.

All of that loneliness and longing in my heart got transferred into the book Because of Winn-Dixie, I guess.

What I hope is that the book [Bink & Gollie] delights children. What I hope is that they laugh and laugh and laugh, just as we did when we wrote them.

Nobody ever learns anything.

I think for everybody reading can be a solace, illumination, education.