Eighteen or 20 years ago, autism wasn't a term that was even used much at the time.

Children simply don't make the distinction; a book is either good or bad. And some of the books they think are good are very, very bad indeed.

As a kid, I didn't read a great deal of fiction, and I've forgotten most of what I did read.

A picture book is a fiendishly difficult thing to write, let alone illustrate. It took at least 50 drafts and more than two years for me to whittle 50,000 words to a workable 500.

Bore children, and they stop reading. There's no room for self-indulgence or showing off or setting the scene.

Young readers have to be entertained. No child reads fiction because they think it's going to make them a better person.

I just wanted a good image on that first page.

I knew there was a story; once you find a dog with a fork through it, you know there's a story there.

I felt a great sense of freedom with this book because I felt like I was writing it for me.