"People are usually surprised to hear this, but I don't really read children's books"

This quote by Beverly Cleary is a tip that not all authors of children's books are necessarily readers of them. It is typically presumed that authors of children's books are avid readers of the genre, but this is not always the case. Cleary's quote suggests that she does not check out kids's books, which may come as a surprise to lots of. This might be due to the fact that she is so familiar with the genre that she does not feel the need to read them, or because she is more thinking about other categories. Whatever the factor, Cleary's quote serves as a tip that authors of kids's books are not necessarily readers of them. It is important to keep in mind that authors of kids's books originate from a variety of backgrounds and have various interests.