Like most hearts, it was complicated, shaded with dark and dappled with light.

I love words; I love the way they sound. Once I've worked on everything else, the last drafts of my books come down to how they sound.

What would make me happiest is if kids read these books [Bink & Gollie] and think: there is so much to love in the world; and words are so much fun.

Rob Horton, the main character of The Tiger Rising, was a secondary character in an adult short story I wrote, and he wouldn't go away after I'd finished the short story. I couldn't figure out what he wanted, so I wrote to find out.

Open your heart. Someone will come. Someone will come for you. But first you must open your heart. (Old Doll)

No matter how hard you try to be present at home, you're always doing the things that you have to do.

I read whatever the publisher sends me.