The Need For Change: Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are
Maurice Sendak
Harper Collins (1963)


The fifth need of the child (at least according to Zena Sutherland) is the need for change.   Children need rest and play, humor and escape.   Books that offer them fantasy and humor are often a great hit.

I was thinking about this need while in the shower and wondering what book to choose when my eyes alighted on the Wild Things poster that adorns our bathroom wall. " Isn't this the quintessential book about escaping reality?" I thought to myself,   "no wonder it's so popular and iconic".

My mom happens to be a huge Maurice Sendak fan.  She collects first edition books and taught us at a young age to appreciate all that is Sendak.   So good ol' Maurice is near and dear to my heart.  

Maurice Sendak, as the story goes, was discovered while creating window displays for FAO Shwarz.  He spent many years illustrating other authors' books before striking out on his own.  He has also dabbled in television and theater, including designing the sets for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's version of the Nutcracker. 

 Some interesting facts about Sendak:   He loves Mozart, Emily Dickinson, and Herman Melville. He describes himself as having a hard childhood with many family members that died in the Holocaust and a mother that suffered from mental illness.   He never told his parents he was gay which I find rather interesting, especially because his partner was a psychotherapist.    I'm sure his boyfriend had a heck of a time analyzing Maurice.  Finally, some of his books have been censored, including Where the Wild Things Are.  Is that crazy or what!

Here's a great video about the book and Maurice's literary life:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NBGS47M924&feature=fvst

Obama reads Where the Wild Things Are on the White House lawn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNU8vnc8pOM&feature=related

There are many interviews of Maurice Sendak.  He's a very interesting guy, so check them out on you tube, but here's a FANTASTIC one to get you started:
http://www.pbs.org/now/arts/sendak.html