I know that when I was a children's librarian, that was about 1940, boys particularly asked where were the books about kids like us, and there weren't any at that time.

I haven't been very enthusiastic about the commercialization of children's literature. Kids should borrow books from the library and not necessarily be buying them.

I read my books aloud before they were published.

I was a very observant child. The boys in my books are based on boys in my neighborhood growing up.

I hope children will be happy with the books I've written, and go on to be readers all of their lives.

I feel sometimes that [in children's books] there are more and more grim problems, but I don't know that I want to burden third- and fourth-graders with them. I feel it's important to get children to enjoy reading.