As a child, I copied Tenniel's illustrations from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' obsessively, particularly his drawing of the white rabbit in waistcoat and frockcoat, umbrella tucked under one arm and a fob watch in paw, a look of suppressed panic in his eye.

I'm calling myself 'The Doodler,' and with the simple addition of a small burglar's mask, I achieve utter anonymity.

I think stories can grow out of the visual. It can be an engine for literacy.

The writing process isn't something I'm in love with. I'm an illustrator who writes.

My ideal travel companions are my family.

We are one people with one family. We all live in the same house... and through books, through information, we must find a way to say to people that we must lay down the burden of hate. For hate is too heavy a burden to bear.

When you're in a big family you have to hustle all the time. But I think that's a good quality to instill in your children, for whatever they have to get.

The most surprising thing for my mother and father was when I was actually earning more money than them by the time I was about 18. They thought I was going to be the ne'er do well, who they'd have to keep worrying about.