We're animals. We're violent. We're criminal. And if I've done anything, I've had kids express themselves as they are.

Oh, please don't go — we'll eat you up — we love you so!

It's no fun being lonely.

You know who my gods are, who I believe in fervently? Herman Melville, Emily Dickinson - she's probably the top - Mozart, Shakespeare, Keats. These are wonderful gods who have gotten me through the narrow straits of life.

I never spent less than two years on the text of one of my picture books, even though each of them is approximately 380 words long. Only when the text is finished ... do I begin the pictures.

As a child, I felt that books were holy objects, to be caressed, rapturously sniffed, and devotedly provided for. I gave my life to them. I still do. I continue to do what I did as a child; dream of books, make books and collect books.

We're animals. We're violent. We're criminal. We're not so far away from the gorillas and the apes, those beautiful creatures.