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.

How do you write for children? I really have never figured that out. So I decided to just ignore it

I don't write for children. I write, and somebody says, 'That's for children.'

There's something in this country that is so opposed to understanding the complexity of children.

We’ve educated children to think that spontaneity is inappropriate. Children are willing to expose themselves to experiences. We aren’t. Grownups always say they protect their children, but they’re really protecting themselves. Besides, you can’t protect children. They know everything.

Dreams raise the emotional level of what I'm doing at the moment.

There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen.