Despereaux marveled at his own bravery. He admired his own defiance. And then, reader, he fainted.

As Elmore Leonard says, I write to find out what happens.

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.

I didn't start working on children's books until I got a job at a book warehouse on the children's floor. When I started reading some of the books, I was so impressed.

Reader, you must know that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform.

Nothing new ever happens in the books. It's the same old theme.

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