Maurice Sendak dies

annis · Post by **annis** » Wed May 9th, 2012, 2:23 am

Not HF, but hugely influential in the world of children's books, Maurice Sendak has died, aged 83. I still remember with happy nostalgia reading Wild Things and Night Kitchen to my own kids many years ago. They loved to shout "No!" when the Wild Things cried, "Please don't go, we''ll eat you up, we love you so!"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksbl ... gs-tribute

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Wed May 9th, 2012, 7:41 pm

Long life though

This was read to me in school, where the wild things...but I dont have any fond memories of it, as others do.

RIP

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Wed May 9th, 2012, 9:46 pm

Where the Wild Things Are is a favorite at our house. Or used to be before our copy got worn out.

writerinthenorth · Post by **writerinthenorth** » Thu May 10th, 2012, 8:42 am

I love the rhythm and lyrical quality of 'Where the Wild Things Are' - that, and the warmth of the book are what make me come to it again and again. Listen to the beat of this, one of the great opening lines of any story:

'The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another'.

(And note how Sendak makes you turn the page after 'kind', just to reinforce that beat.)

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Thu May 10th, 2012, 3:15 pm

[quote=""writerinthenorth""]I love the rhythm and lyrical quality of 'Where the Wild Things Are' - that, and the warmth of the book are what make me come to it again and again. Listen to the beat of this, one of the great opening lines of any story:

'The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another'.

(And note how Sendak makes you turn the page after 'kind', just to reinforce that beat.)[/quote]

And the psychological quality to the progression of the illustrations. As Max adds more and more to the fantasy, the pictures fill more of the pages. Then as he comes back they get smaller. Brilliant!

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Thu May 10th, 2012, 5:02 pm

I remember reading this and being read this as I was a young girl. RIP.

SM

rockygirl · Post by **rockygirl** » Thu June 7th, 2012, 12:09 am

I teach in a school with some very tough characters. The week before Maurice Sendak died, I brought WTWTA into school for a project. My two toughest boys BEGGED me to read it to them. They're 14 and obsessed with gangs, but this book held happy memories for them.

That, my friends, is the power of a great picture book.

(Other books the kids went wild for, BTW, The Snowy Day, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Cordoroy. I had the best behavior and the most work done with seventh graders reading these picture books for two weeks!)

C.S. Lewis was right when he said that a good children's book lasts into adulthood. (I forget the exact quote, maybe one of you can help).

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Fri June 8th, 2012, 12:39 am

[quote=""rockygirl""]

C.S. Lewis was right when he said that a good children's book lasts into adulthood. (I forget the exact quote, maybe one of you can help).[/quote]

Would it be this one?

A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.

Or maybe this one:

No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally and often far more worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.

rockygirl · Post by **rockygirl** » Fri June 8th, 2012, 8:59 pm

I knew someone would know it!!

I was thinking of the first one, but like the second, too!!

Thanks!!

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Mon June 11th, 2012, 2:25 am

You're welcome but I didn't know it off the top of my head. I went looking. Turns out C.S. Lewis said a lot of great things!