I'm a great believer in research. I have to know about a place before I write a story that is set in that place. Katherine Paterson More Quotes by Katherine Paterson More Quotes From Katherine Paterson Reading has made such a profound difference to my life. I'm sure I became a writer because of the power of literature in my own life. Katherine Paterson differences reading profound I woke up one morning and realized that what I wanted to say to everyone - children, young people, adults - was: Read for your life. Katherine Paterson morning children people All of us can think of a book... that we hope none of our children have taken off the shelf. But if I have the right to remove that book from the shelf -that work I abhor- then you also have exactly the same right and so does everyone else. And then we have no books left on the shelf for any of us. Katherine Paterson Some say it is the elements of hope and wonder in children's books that make them special. But there are many dark young adult novels these days. Adults loved Harry Potter, though it was written for the young. In the end, it is probably up to the reader of any age to decide if this book is for him or her. Katherine Paterson hope age dark children The best thing about being a writer is it gives you readers who understand your deepest feelings and fears. Katherine Paterson best understand you feelings Obviously, I love to do both contemporary and historical fiction. When a hint of a story grabs me, I try to go with it to see where it will take me whatever the setting. Katherine Paterson will story me love I like to write about a lot of things, which is why my books are different. This is probably why I don't like to write sequels, but chiefly I like to write about people. Katherine Paterson things like different people I love writing for young adults because they are such a wonderful audience, they are good readers, and they care about the books they read. Katherine Paterson good care writing love All of us use art and literature as an escape from time to time, but if it's any good, it has a healing quality - a quality that enlarges our human spirits. Katherine Paterson good quality time art The problem with people who are afraid of imagination, of fantasy, is that their world becomes so narrow that I don't see how they can imagine beyond what their senses can verify. We know from science that there are entire worlds that our senses can't verify. Katherine Paterson imagination science people world A story is open-ended. A story invites you into it to make your own meaning. Katherine Paterson meaning your story you I'd like for the young people, and older ones, too, who don't count themselves as readers, to know the joy of reading and what it does to enrich your life in so many ways. Katherine Paterson reading joy life people