Where the Wild Things Are

More Information & Critical Reviews

Maurice Sendak is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are. He was born on June 10, 1928 in New York City. The now-renowned children’s author studied at the Art Students League and illustrated more than 80 books by other writers before authoring one himself. His most critically acclaimed work includes the dark and beloved story Where the Wild Things Are. Later in his career Sendak collaborated with Carole King on the musical Really Rosie and has done other work for the stage. In 1956, Sendak published Kenny’s Window, the first children’s book he both wrote and illustrated himself. Before long, he turned the children’s book world upside down with his 1963 masterpiece Where the Wild Things Are. Sendak captured the public’s imagination with this tale of a boy’s journey into a strange land inhabited by grotesque yet appealing monsters.

Sendak’s dark, moody illustrations were a shocking contrast to the usually light and happy fare found in a typical children’s book of the time. The main character Max, like many of Sendak’s protagonists, acted like a real child, not some idealised version of youth.

“In plain terms, a child is a complicated creature who can drive you crazy,” Sendak once said in an interview. “There’s a cruelty to childhood, there’s an anger. And I did not want to reduce Max to the trite image of the good little boy that you find in too many books.” Where the Wild Things Are earned Sendak a Caldecott Medal, a special honour for children’s book illustration.

‘The clearer reproductions of the original art are vibrant and luminous.’ H

‘Each word has been carefully chosen and the simplicity of the language is quite deceptive.’ SLJ

‘A timeless classic that continues to win over the hearts of children. The simple, rhythmic text and expressive illustrations are just as appealing today as they were when I was a child.’ 10 Must-Have Books for 2-Year-Olds on Brightly