Gary Paulsen on Writing for Kids -v- Adults

I love this portion from an article in The New York Times about author Gary Paulsen:

Mr. Paulsen stopped writing for adults 10 years ago. “It’s artistically fruitless,” he fumes. “Adults are locked into car payments and divorces and work. They haven’t got time to think fresh. Name the book that made the biggest impression on you. I bet you read it before you hit puberty. In the time I’ve got left, I intend to write artistic books — for kids — because they’re still open to new ideas.”

Is this true? I'm not sure...I like to think I still respond to artistically written books, whether for kids or adults. I hope I'm still open to new ideas, even with the car payments and work. But it's true that when the kids and I read a book together, they listen with hushed anticipation and openness to the story. I often respond to their response rather than simply experiencing it directly. I did cry at the end of Walk Two Moons, however. All on my own.