Acclaimed writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak, whose children’s books include “Where the Wild Things Are,” died today in Danbury, Connecticut from complications from a recent stroke. He was 83.
Sendak was known for writing books about adventurous kids who were frightened and troubled by mysterious creatures that haunted their dreams and their waking hours as well. The children in his books misbehaved without regret. Even the grownups in Sendak’s stories were often frightened or frightening. Sendak didn't think of himself as a children's author, but as a writer who told the truth about childhood.
Friends and fans are remembering Sendak today, many calling him one of the most important writers and artists to ever work in children's literature. “Where the Wild Things Are,” was first published in 1963 and has been a standard bedtime story ever since. It tells the story of Max, who plays around his home making "mischief" in a wolf costume. Max’s words come to mind today, as we look back on how Sendak’s writing touched so many lives, “Please don't go. We'll eat you up. We love you so.”