Illustrations have as much to say as the text. The trick is to say the same thing, but in a different way. It's no good being an illustrator who is saying a lot that is on his or her mind, if it has nothing to do with the text. . . the artist must override the story, but he must also override his own ego for the sake of the story.

Truthfullness to life-both fantasy life and factual life-is the basis of all great art.

It was a very difficult time. I was working on [umble-Ardy] when my partner and friend was dying of cancer. We set up a room in the house to be like a hospital room. Eugene died, and then I had bypass surgery. I was doing the book to stay sane while all this was going on.

There are certain pieces of music that are always attached to certain books.

I was a very sickly child. My parents were immigrants. They were not decorous. They were not discreet. They always thought I was gonna die.

And it is through fantasy that children achieve catharsis. It is the best means they have for taming Wild Things.

You cannot write for children They're much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them.