'Smart', in American usage, is slicker and sharper than 'intelligent'; faster off the mark and quicker on its feet than deep thought. Mal Peet americandeepfast Change image and share on social
It pretty much defeats the purpose of bedtime reading if you fall asleep before the kids do. And you tend to wake up with a matchbox stuck on the end of your nose and/or a potty on your head. Mal Peet asleepbedtimedefeat Change image and share on social
I want to drink champagne from ladies' shoes. Mal Peet champagnedrinklady Change image and share on social
I worry about children not having a sense of any direct connection to the past. Mal Peet childconnectiondirect Change image and share on social
I tend to boycott all teenage reading while I'm trying to write my own stuff. Mal Peet boycottreadstuff Change image and share on social
History is the heavy traffic that prevents us from crossing the road. We wait, more or less patiently, for it to pause, so that we can get to the liquor store or the laundromat or the burger bar. Mal Peet barburgercross Change image and share on social
I don't really see any barrier between teenage fiction and adult literature. Mal Peet adultbarrierfiction Change image and share on social
I try to write stories that will attract younger readers and make them feel part of a wider readership. I do not feel able to write books that are about, or even for, teenagers; and I am inclined to be suspicious of books which 'target' them. Mal Peet attractbookfeel share on social
I find myself, by happy accident, writing 'Young Adult' fiction. However, I dislike such categories. Mal Peet accidentadultcategory Change image and share on social
Football is a bit like chess: it's not just the piece being moved that matters; it's also the effect that move has on all the other pieces. Mal Peet bitechesseffect Change image and share on social