Maurice Sendak, a beloved children’s book author and illustrator, was born in Brooklyn in 1928. He found solace in books during his isolated childhood due to illness. Where the Wild Things Are was his most famous book, and he went on to write and illustrate over 50 children’s books. His work tackled serious topics, leading to some of his books being banned. He also worked on various forms of media, including adapting his books for opera and producing a production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. He received numerous awards for his work, including the Caldecott Medal and the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Maurice Sendak, a beloved children’s book author and illustrator, was born on June 10, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York. Son of Polish Jewish parents who emigrated to the United States, Sendak lived his childhood virtually closed, isolated from the outside world, due to illness. Books were his main source of entertainment and they proved to be his best companions throughout his childhood. His imagination blossomed during this period, due to his limited exposure to the world. Walt Disney’s film Fantasia, which he first saw at age 12, would be one of his major influences.
Sendak illustrated throughout childhood. His first published illustrations appeared in Atomics for the Millions, a textbook published in 1947. As a young man, Sendak worked for FAO Schwartz, window dressing, while attending the New York Art Students League evening classes. His early illustration works include The Wonderful Farm by Marcel Ayme and A Hole is to Dig by Ruth Krauss. As his style developed, it became obvious that Sendak preferred to create illustrations to heighten the “mystery” of the tale, rather than simply illustrate it.
Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963, was the first book to give him great exposure. Sendak, who wrote and illustrated the book, tells the story of Max, a little boy who creates a world of lovable monsters. It has since sold more than 200 million copies, translated into 15 languages. In the Night Kitchen, written in 1970, is another of Sendak’s most beloved and popular books. Sendak went on to write and illustrate more than 50 children’s books, as well as illustrate numerous books written by others.
Maurice Sendak has made a name for himself as an author willing to tackle problems in children’s books that many shun. Some of his topics are quite dark and serious and, for younger children, especially scary. He has faced poverty, homelessness among children, and the Holocaust, landing some of his books on the American Library Association’s (ALA) list of most contested and banned books. Many of these topics stemmed from childhood experiences and family influences. The watchful moon included in most of his works is said to symbolize his loving and protective mother.
For the most part, Sendak creates art for children to enjoy and has done so through many different forms of media. You worked with Carole King on Really Rosie, an animated TV movie. Sendak produced a production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and adapted Where the Wild Things Are for opera. He also illustrated the English translation of Brundibar, a Czech children’s play. For adults, he illustrated Herman Melville’s Pierre:, or the Ambiguities, the Kraken edition.
Sendak has received numerous awards for his work, including the Caldecott Medal, the Hans Christian Andersen Award and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. For fans of Where the Wild Things Are, it will be adapted into a live action film in 2008. The screenplay, written by Dave Eggers, will be directed by Spike Jonze.
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