I can hate you more, but I'll never love you less.

We're much alike, bee, you and me," I said. "You may carry your pack underneath you and your rifle may stick out of your bottom. But you and me, bee, are much alike.

It is the child's understanding that teaches the adults the way of the future. They're still doing it today with modern technology.

Children have to be motivated to want to learn to read. Reading must not be taught simply as a school exercise.

Any story you write about war, or film you make about war, is bound to be political whether you like it or not.

I was never a great reader, but there were two stories I loved best: Kipling's The Elephant's Child and The Jungle Book. Deep down, I've always wanted to write a book about a wild child and an elephant.

There is the myth that writing books for children is easier than writing books for grownups, whereas we know that truly great books for children are works of genius, whether it's 'Alice in Wonderland' or the 'Gruffalo' or 'Northern Lights.' When it's a great book, it's a great book, whether it's for children or not.