My father could be very witty, even if the humor was always on the darker side of irony.

I've always loved pigs: the shape of them, the look of them, and the fact that they are so intelligent.

If life is so critical, if Anne Frank could die, if my friend could die, children were as vulnerable as adults, and that gave me a secret purpose to my work, to make them live. Because I wanted to live. I wanted to grow up.

I'm not obsessed with angels but I do adore angels.

I remember how much - when I was a small boy I was taken to see a version of 'Peter Pan.' I detested it. I mean, the sentimental idea that anybody would want to remain a boy.

The world is twice as crazy as it's ever been.

I do not remember any proper children's books in my childhood. I was not exposed to them.

All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy. They never, never, never knew.

I can't believe I've turned into a typical old man. I can't believe it. I was young just minutes ago.

I refuse to lie to children.

I write books that seem more suitable for children, and that's OK with me. They are a better audience and tougher critics. Kids tell you what they think, not what they think they should think.

Kids don't know about best sellers. They go for what they enjoy. They aren't star chasers and they don't suck up. It's why I like them.

Do parents sit down and tell their kids everything? I don't know. I don't know. I've convinced myself - I hope I'm right - that children despair of you if you don't tell them the truth.

I'm writing a poem right now about a nose. I've always wanted to write a poem about a nose. But it's a ludicrous subject. That's why, when I was younger, I was afraid of something that didn't make a lot of sense. But now I'm not. I have nothing to worry about. It doesn't matter.

People from New York have been calling, to see if I'm still alive. When I answer the phone, you can hear the disappointment in their voice.

You can't write masterpieces in your 80s and be happy too.

I became a set designer for opera. I'm a great opera buff, I love classical music, and I needed a time-out.

I grew up in a house that was in a constant state of mourning.

I have a little tiny Emily Dickinson so big that I carry in my pocket everywhere. And you just read three poems of Emily. She is so brave. She is so strong. She is such a sexy, passionate, little woman. I feel better.

When Mozart is playing in my room, I am in conjunction with something I can't explain... I don't need to. I know that if there's a purpose for life, it was for me to hear Mozart.

I hate those e-books. They can not be the future... they may well be... I will be dead.

Parents shouldn't assume children are made out of sugar candy and will break and collapse instantly. Kids don't. We do.

Most children - I know I did when I was a kid - fantasize another set of parents. Or fantasize no parents. They don't tell their real parents about that - you don't want to tell Mom and Dad.

Kids lead a very private life.

I think people should be given a test much like driver's tests as to whether they're capable of being parents!

All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy.

I feel extremely vulnerable.

I feel like I don't have a lot of time left.

I'm scared of watching a TV show about vampires. I can't fall asleep.

You don't want to do something that's all terrifying.

Grown-ups are afraid for children. It's not children who are afraid.

Parents shouldn't assume children are made out of sugar candy and will break and collapse instantly.

I hate those e-books. They cannot be the future. They may well be.

Mothers and children are human beings, and they will sometimes do the wrong thing.

I want to write something so simple, so short and so silly... and I want it to be for my brother.

Kids are so shrewd.

We're supposed to do all these things which trouble us deeply because it's so against what we naturally would want to do.

I am not a religious person, nor do I have any regrets.

I would infinitely prefer a daughter.

Things come to you without you necessarily knowing what they mean.

My being gay was something of not great interest to me.

Certainly we want to protect our children from new and painful experiences that are beyond their emotional comprehension and that intensify anxiety; and to a point we can prevent premature exposure to such experiences.

I was miserable as a kid.

I'm not a religious person.

I'm not afraid of death.

A book is a book is a book.

I can't believe I've turned into a typical old man.

I wanted to be acknowledged as an artist, not just some kiddie-book artist.

It dawned on me that art was the way I could survive.

The distinctions of fine art bore me to death.