I want young people to be hesitant to glorify war and to demand of their leaders justification for the sacrifices they ask of our citizens.

Books transmit values. They explore our common humanity. What is the message when some children are not represented in those books?

Reading is not optional.

The idea of voluntary segregation went against every value I had been taught. What did being born black have to do with excellence?

Fifty percent of all meaningful education takes place in the home. What do you share with your child? You share your interests. I was a book person. I read with my son. My wife is an artist. She dragged his little butt around to museums. He's an illustrator of children's books.

Each time I think there is no place lower to go, I find that there is at least one place that will mess you up worse than you were.

I read a lot of comic books and any kind of thing I could find. One day, a teacher found me. She grabbed my comic book and tore it up. I was really upset, but then she brought in a pile of books from her own library. That was the best thing that ever happened to me.