Will I love Where the Wild Things Are?

Where I became King.

Those monsters with their yellow eyes and yellow teeth bring back all the memories. It reminds me of making tents with blankets under the table, and the adventures that would follow.

Even the boy's name, Max, feels like anything is possible. Max is snarky, and that's exactly who he is, wonderful in his own way. It's a treasure I still bring out today, to remember those glorious days.

This book is very sophisticated in terms of how it uses the fantasy world.

In the real world, Max’s emotions are controlling him, but in the fantasy world, he is in control of the wild things, and by extension, his emotions. The story perfectly captures what it is like to be overwhelmed by your emotions, but also to find a way to master them, so that when he returns to the real world, he is calm, and finds his supper waiting for him—and it is still hot.

Sendak’s art, and the story, are so appealing, and what kid doesn’t want… show more.

I have a brother who is fifteen years my junior. When he was small, I often read him stories. One of our shared favourites, read over and over, was Sendak’s Wild Things. It’s a masterpiece.

He usually wrote the text, as well as making the wonderful pictures, and the text is short, simple, rhythmic, and beautiful. Sendak was a poet as well as an artist.

Think about it: a child of five and a young woman of twenty, reading the same book, poring over the illustrations together, and both having a whale of a time.

If you know a… show more.

There is no doubt that this book is the classic example of a real kid with fantasy creatures. Not the first, but the one I return to over and over again. The first time I read it, I thought, “drat! Why didn’t I write this book?”

Not only is the story multi-layered, it is a story that reads like a poem and it has an unforgettable last line. 

A story I read so often in my childhood that I could recite it nearly verbatim. I read it frequently to my son. Then my grandchildren. Although they were inexplicably drawn to Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss and, of course, their grandmother’s books, smart boys.

Here, a naughty boy, Max, runs away and enters a world of wild creatures and becomes their king. Max has a blast being king until he misses home. The transition from foe to friend to king moves quickly but is a topic worth exploring more in-depth.

Kids love the Wild Things dance scene… show more.

This was a picture book that simply encompassed the way I thought as a child. The illustrations married perfectly with the story and urged me into Max’s world while giving me the sensation of riding the edge of a nightmare, minus the fear.

The drawings were masterfully done. The waves and monsters rolled, and I moved, danced, and played with them all in my imagination as if in slow motion, staying in this world as long as I wanted.

It gives me the same sensation today as it did in my youth and hits me with a melancholy nostalgia that… show more.

This is one of the most perfect books ever written (and illustrated).

When Max gets up to mischief, is sent to his room, visits his wild side, and returns a richer boy, he speaks to my wild side. This book is a visual delight that goes beyond words, literally.

I love that the wild rumpus is just being a happy kid who swings from trees, dances, and loves life. I feel happy, too, whenever I revisit this charmer.

After reading this story, I was greatly relieved. It was as if the author could see and imagine the world like I did. My dreams at night, filled with boundless wonder, found their perfect match in this book's enchanting tale. The way it connected with my mythical imagination surpassed any other book I had ever come across. 

In this extraordinary story, I delved into the life of a young boy named Max. As he donned his wolf suit, chaos ensued within his household, resulting in being sent to bed without supper. But that's when something magical happened. Max's bedroom transformed… show more.

This is the story of a little boy who feels misunderstood by his parents and imagines escaping to an island full of “wild things”. 

After he discovers that he is the “wildest thing” on the island he grows bored and returns home to a “hot supper”. The story is beautifully illustrated by the fanciful drawings of Sendak, while Max’s behavior and experiences are easily understood by children.

Even before Dr. Seuss, I read this classic.

I reiterate my sentiment on telling powerful stories through rhyme. The rhyme tends to disappear in the same way that subtitles do when watching foreign films, and yet it drives the plot and flow seamlessly. Of course, the illustration is extraordinary and certainly contributes to the appeal, but for me, it is the mastery of the rhyme as it could easily stand on its own.