Lynne Reid Banks, the author of 20 children's books, visited Safford schools to talk to students about her books.

A middle school librarian, Mary Wong, who usually sets Banks up at Phoenix schools, asked her if she would be willing to travel out of town this year, and Banks agreed. As a result, Banks is spending three days in Safford, speaking at the Dorothy Stinson, Lafe Nelson and Ruth Powell elementary schools.

Banks published her first children's book in 1972, after establishing herself as an adult novelist. She was asked to write a book for teenage readers. From there, Banks began to dig up stories she had previously written, but never published. She updated them and pitched them to her editor. Eventually, the juvenile writing overcame the adult writing, and now Banks rarely writes for adults. Banks considers herself a good writer. By that she means both a writer of interesting books and a writer of morally good books.

"I do not set out to teach a lesson. I am not a preacher," Banks told fifth and sixth graders at Dorothy Stinson. "If lessons happen to come out in my books, well that's not my fault, now is it?"

Banks explained to the students that she does not believe anyone is completely good or evil, but rather a combination of both. That is why most of her books are centered around good children who have their faults.

In her book "Angela and Diabola" Banks tells the story of twins who are polar extremes. Instead of the twins getting a balance of good and bad in them like most people, Angela got all the good and was absolutely perfect. But Diabola got all the bad, which made her evil through and through.

The book was written because no one could actually be like Angela or Diabola. It must be read with a sense of humor -- a sense of humor that sometimes only children have.

"When I first brought the manuscript to my editors, they were horrified and did not want to publish it," Banks said. "But I asked them to let children read it and give their opinions. Three days later my editors came back to me and told me their kids had stayed up all night reading the book, laughing the whole time."

"Angela and Diabola" was also made into a book on tape, and Banks refused to hire an actress to do the voice. She claimed only she knew the characters well enough to read the story how it was meant to be read. Banks proved that to her audience of students when she read the first chapter aloud with what she called "fiendish glee."

Perhaps her most well-known book is the "Indian in the Cupboard," a story that was purchased by Hollywood and made into a movie. Banks told the story of how she wrote that book about an old cupboard in her first house that she would not throw away because she thought it was magic. While the cupboard may not have turned toy Indians into real men, it worked magic for Banks' career when she was commissioned to write a story with only three months to complete it. The story she could come up with was the one she told to her youngest son in prior years about the magic cupboard she would not throw away.

She opened up the floor for questions, and the students asked her questions, including how she liked Safford and which book was her favorite.

"Today, at this moment, my favorite is 'Angela and Diabola,' but tomorrow it may be different," Banks said. "Asking me to choose my favorite book is like asking a mother to choose her favorite child."

Banks lives with her husband in Dorset, England.