Anthony Browne

I don't like narrowing my readers down - there's not a particular age or gender or nationality. I suppose I'm aiming at the child I was. ”

After art college, I got a job as a medical illustrator, and I was pretty good. I had to imagine what was going on in the operations because the photographs just showed a mess. ”

Stories come to me and I don't know where they come from, but afterwards I can look back and say, 'Oh yes, that's got a little bit of me, or a little bit of my own son in it'. That's where ideas come from. ”

What excites me about picture books is the gap between pictures and words. Sometimes the pictures can tell a slightly different story or tell more about the story, about how someone is thinking or feeling. ”

As a father, I understand the importance of the bond that develops through reading picture books with your child. ”

I find it incredible and outrageous that public and school libraries are being forced to close - we'll all pay the price in the long term. ”

Picture books are being marginalised. I get the feeling children are being pushed away from picture books earlier and earlier and being told to look at 'proper' books, which means books without pictures. ”

Writers are articulate. Artists find it more difficult. ”

Maurice Sendak is the daddy of them all when it comes to picture books - the words, the rhythm, the psychology, the design. ”

My dad never decided what he wanted to do; at times he fought in the army, was a teacher, a boxer, a light engineer, and a then a publican. My mum was a traditional housewife and mother. They showed my brother and I unconditional love. ”