I think the trick of writing a good picture book manuscript is to leave that space for illustration. An illustrated novel can do the same thing.

It's a sort of patronizing idea that literature for children has to feature role models of exemplary behavior. I think not only is that bogus, but it leads to really boring books.

Pranking exposes the truth that underneath this appearance of order is joy, laughter, and disorder.

I'd much rather have a book that a few people love intensely than a book that a lot of people like okay.

I love those adult writers with the pranking ethos, [Don] DeLillo and [Donald] Barthelme and David Foster Wallace. I don't see any reason not to bring those kinds of influences to bear on books for children.

I think the trick of writing a good picture book manuscript is to leave that space for illustration. An illustrated novel can do the same thing.

We put authors on such a pedestal, and it's a moment that humanizes the whole thing, and lends an absurdity to what otherwise is a "please sit with your hands on your lap" kind of event.