<p>I have a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy. This helps when you have a crazy big family like mine. You see, I have 6 kids that all have superpowers and don’t believe in bedtime. The stories I write and illustrate usually come from me making deals to tell stories as long as their heads are on the pillow.</p><p>I wrote my very first literary masterpiece when I was just 6 years old. Although I don’t remember the title, I know the main character was a tapeworm with a bazooka living in someone’s stomach.</p><p>Seriously.</p><p>People say you have to read a lot of books to be a good writer. I’m a terrible reader. I’m slow, have poor comprehension, and generally only make it through half of any book with more than a hundred pages. Lucky for me, having so many kids legally requires me to read (and finish) several million picture books per evening.</p><p>Here is how I define picture books when done right: they’re touching and funny pieces of art that can be completely consumed and adored in less than 5 minutes. To me, picture books are like amazing little animated movies with only enough room for the good parts within their pages.</p><p>I try to make all of my books have just the good parts. Otherwise my kids would have me drawn and quartered.</p>
