Ah, 'tis a good strong yarn, about the sea, and all the legends that surround it,

It's the first time I've seen any of my work done like this,

I suppose there's a child inside me who wants to get out, ... A little baldy child with a beard. Ha!

I still pinch meself when I wake up of a morning, ... Who ever thought I'd be a children's author -- let alone a best-selling children's author? I feel I should still be driving a truck, or (working as) a longshoreman.

I use animals native to Great Britain, ... The animals have human traits, like the mole is a tiny, furry wonderful creature with big digging claws. I think about how he would talk. He's not a baddie; he's a goodie.

Kids are more drawn to animal characters than human, ... They know what a 'dirty rat' is.