Epic Win: Maurice Sendak
Submitted by Johnny’s Girl, not to be confused with Jessie’s girl
Maurice Sendak, best known for the classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, said, as a child, he was inspired to become a writer and illustrator by Disney’s Fantasia. (Fantasia only inspired me to do drugs.) Though he’s most famous for Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak was also the illustrator for the Little Bear series.
Have you guys seen the new Where the Wild Things Are film yet? It’s fantastic. When asked if the movie is too scary for kids, Sendak told parents that they could “go to hell.” Win.
Additionally, the creatures Max encountered were originally supposed to be horses, but Mr. Sendak apparently couldn’t draw horses, so they became monsters
Total win!!
So THAT’S the guy. Reminds me of my chemistry teacher 0_o
He also did the sets for the Nutcracker for the Pacific Northwest ballet
And the costumes, too. Well done, Mr. Sendak!
Wow. Just…wow. Haven’t seen the movie but remember the book fondly.
This would be a win, had it not been posted soon after the movie was released.
If I knew how I would post the vid for Really Rosie with the songs performed by Carole King. Sendak rocks!
My favorite book! When my sister was pregnant, I bought the book for my future nieces. I wanted their first book to be awesome. The girls will learn to roar terrible roars!
Such a great book. Did you all know it is on the top 100 most banned and challenge book of the last 19 years. But that is only cause the monsters frighten adults.
Love the fact that he told parents to go to hell. Good for him!
Yes, that’s just wonderful. Thumbsdown again.
My mom let me read this book when I was really little. She said that ’some people’ thought it was too scary for kids, but it didn’t frighten me in the least. I’d look through it every so often and wonder what could possibly be scary about the book. I learned at an early age that people are afraid of things for no good reason.
He’s the guy who did Really Rosie! I grew up with that! He’s the best!
Maurice Sendak is a win sandwich stuffed full of win with extra awesomesauce. About 20 years ago he produced an exhaustive compendium of schoolyard chants, songs, rhymes and insult games. And he drew the pictures. Then there’s the popup book he did called “Mommy?” It’s about a toddler who handily defeats a series of movie monsters while searching for his mother – who just happens to be the Bride of Frankenstein. Who knew Dracula could be foiled with a pacifier?
YAY for the mention of Little Bear ^_^, read the books & watched the tv show as a kid.
Meh. I thought Where the Wild Things Are was pretty meh. And I love children’s books, generally.
Also, telling parents to go to hell? Not cool. How does he know the taste of every child everywhere to know if they would be scared of it or not?
Where The Wild Things Are is actually the first of a trilogy of stories. The second in the series (The Night Kitchen) is also commonly challenged in libraries. The third (Outside, Over There) was also made into a movie, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth.
Sendak is pretty cool. I love his books!
I have no idea how anyone could get scared from Where the Wild Things Are… I grew up on it and still think it’s pretty cool. I’ve never met a child or parent who thought it was too scary! o.O
Say it with me! and they roared there terrible roar and gnashed there terrible teeth
I so remember reading the book when I was younger! but my mum hasn’t ever heard of it oo and I want to see the movie.