Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Maurice Sendak, R.I.P.


Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of one of my favorite children's books, Where the Wild Things Are,  died Tuesday. He was 83. 
There was a wonderful piece on him on NPR this week which included excerpts from interviews with him over many years. He said he had a terrible childhood and didn’t believe in making children think the world was a safe beautiful place. And yet he created monsters that all of us could relate to, monsters and weird beasts we could make peace with and co-exist with, just like the children in his books. To quote the movie trailer:
            Inside each of us is Fear.
Inside each of us is Adventure.
Inside each of us is a Wild Thing.

R.I.P. Maurice Sendak. You gave so many generations of children permission to believe in their imaginations.

4 comments:

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

"R.I.P. Maurice Sendak. You gave so many generations of children permission to believe in their imaginations."

What a beautiful, fitting tribute, Lark.

Sarah Andre said...

I actually never read that book...I know my little brother had it in his bookcase as a child.

I was surprised to hear Sendak did all his own illustrations too (saw it on the news last night.)

Lark Howard said...

His books are wonderful, Sarah, though a bit dark for children's stories.

LynNerdKelley said...

He was brilliant. RIP Maurice.