I, myself, write to change my life, to make it come out the way I want it to. But other people write for other reasons: to see more closely what it is they are thinking about, what they may be afraid of. Sometimes writers write to solve a problem, to answer their own question. All these reasons are good reasons. And that is the most important thing I'll ever tell you. Maybe it is the most important thing you'll ever hear. Ever.

All the world can be found in poetry. All you need to see and hear. All the moments, good and bad, joyous and sad.

I have to write what I can write, and writing the text of a picture book is like walking a tightrope, if you ramble off... As my friend Julius Lester says, A picture book is the essence of an experience.

Being married to a psychologist, I realize that I learn more from imperfections.

Im working on a bunch of things with my daughter Emily. In some ways, shes a smarter and better editor than I am.

I love to talk to children about making mistakes. Its important that I tell them about how I dont get it right the first time. We live in such a perfectionist society, and they see so many finished products and polished performances.

There is always something to miss, no matter where you are.