A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly.

I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.

There is no place I know that compares to pure imagination.

I cannot for the life of me understand why small children take so long to grow up. I think they do it deliberately, just to annoy me.

When I first thought about writing the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I never originally meant to have children in it at all!

And don’t worry about the bits you can’t understand. Sit back and allow the words to wash around you, like music.

I therefore invite you all," Mr Fox went on, 'to stay here with me for ever.' For ever!' they cried. 'My goodness! How marvellous!' And Rabbit said to Mrs Rabbit, 'My dear, just think! We're never going to be shot again in our lives!' We will make,' said Mr Fox, 'a little underground village, with streets and houses on each side - seperate houses for Badgers and Moles and Rabbits and Weasels and Foxes. And every day I will go shopping for you all. And every day we will eat like kings.' The cheering that followed this speech went on for many minutes.