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How old was she when she wrote it?

I think nine, or ten.

When it came out, I gave her a publication luncheon at Twenty-one.

Spoiled her for life.

With Red and Eleanor Warren. Well, no, she's a very hep little girl.

Not many children publish books at the age of ten.

Well, a lot of people in our office saw it. The New Yorker considered it and told Red that they didn't think that they ought to do it, that it would spoil her.

So you spoiled her instead.

Well, we talked it over. I said that maybe we shouldn't do it, but she was so delirious at the thought of its being published. So the Warrens gave in.

I had a lot of fun with it. It broke my heart that it didn't sell. I thought that it might take off.

Can you answer why some books take off and others don't.