It's hard for children's authors to be accepted when they try to write adult books. J.K. Rowling is the exception because people are so eager to read anything by her but it took Judy Blume three or four tries before she had a success.

Look if you ask a child 'Would you rather have a fulfilled mother or a stay-at-home Sylvia Plath ' they'll pick Sylvia Plath every time. But I think it's really important that children don't feel their parents' emotional lives depend on their success.

The manic pursuit of success cost me everything I could love: my wife my three children some friends I would have liked to grow old with.

Raising children is an uncertain thing success is reached only after a life of battle and worry.

For unflagging interest and enjoyment a household of children if things go reasonably well certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their importance by comparison.

After I won the Oscar my salary doubled my friends tripled my children became more popular at school my butcher made a pass at me and my maid hit me up for a raise.

The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'

Difficulty my brethren is the nurse of greatness - a harsh nurse who roughly rocks her foster - children into strength and athletic proportion.

I like writing for children. It seems to me that most people underestimate their understanding and the strength of their feelings and in my books for them I try to put this right.

We get strength and encouragement from watching children.