What I remember when I started to write was how I couldn't wait to get up in the morning to get to my characters.
I loved to read, and I think any child who loves to read will read anything, including the back of the cereal box, which I did every morning.
I've heard that some authors do dream their books and I would love that if it happened to me, but so far it hasn't. Sometimes I'll get a good idea during the night and if I don't write it down, I won't remember it the next morning.