This is the story of Max’s adventures when he sails away to the land where the Wild Things are. Written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, this children’s picture book has become an acknowledged classic. A winner of the Caldecott Medal for the Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year in 1964, Where the Wild Things Are is a timeless masterpiece that can be enjoyed equally by children and grown-ups. I love it, and needless to say I stopped being a child long, long ago.

Where the Wild Things changed children’s books forever. The illustrations are dreamlike, the writing style simple, yet imaginative and delightfully atypical. One evening Max, mischievous as always, tells his mother that he's going to eat her up. His mother, understandably at her wits' end, sends him to bed without any supper. From here, Max sets sails, navigating his private boat across the sea of his imagination to a land of truly wild things: huge monsters with claws and fangs and fierce yellow eyes. Undaunted, Max tames them and quickly becomes their king.

and he sailed off through night and day
and in and out of weeks
and almost over a year
to where the wild things are

Eventually, though, in spite of the power he wields and the joy of the “wild rumpus,” Max heeds the call of home. It’s the smell of the good things to eat that calls him back the strongest, and climbing in his boat, Max sails back across the world to his own bedroom, where, his supper waits for him while still hot.

My son's favorite book! Now it looks like it’s Mr. H’s favorite book, too. Excuse me, I’m being summoned for the tenth rereading...in a row.

“Where the Wild Things Are" was published in 1963 and teaches children about their emotions, such as danger, boredom, fear, etc.

I will also read this book to my son.

-This book is included in the list: 100 greatest children’s books of all time by BBC-

Loved it since I was a kid, but it was always the graphics that enchanted me ... the imagery. Max in his suit. I wanted—those pjs when I was a child.
Something about the story always unnerved me.
Edit: addition 5/6-6/1/22
Certain parts of the story have a tension to them, while others have always given me that cozy, comfy feeling.

These illustrations and their energy influenced me in mood and nature doing my own and going through art school. I loved how they could be busy and still at the same time; bright but also earthy.

How I feel about this book really hasn’t changed since I was a kid, and that makes this one special. A large part of why remains a mystery to me.

A bajillion times better than the movie. If you've never read this classic then you're missing out. Adults as well as children could benefit from the lessons Sendak shows us in WtWTA.

My copy of this book is over fifty years old. It was read to me when I was tiny and I read it to my children when they were small.

When we lived in the States I discovered the play figures in a bargain bin in a toy store and bought them for my kids too. This guy was always my favourite!



He looks as if he's up to no good.

There are several key elements to the book's power.

1. The artwork is special.

2. It shows, graphically the power of imagination.

That very night in Max's room a forest grew
and grew until his ceiling hung with vines
and the walls became the world all around

3. It undermines the fear of monsters without taking away the wonder.

4. Even when you're bad, your mother loves you.

I can't see this book going out of print. It's timeless.


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4.5

Another 5 star! Man, I'm getting generous. You guys just keep bringing up stories that KICK TRASH! This is the greatest children's book in the history of time as far as I'm concerned. And I'll tell you something WICKED AWESOME about it that I figured out when I researched it for a play adaptation I wrote. **GET OUT THE COPY OF YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK RIGHT NOW**... Flip through the pages, and notice that on the first page the artwork is a small rectangle... then it grows larger and larger on every page, until the forest takes up one entire side by itself... then as Max sails on the ship it begins to creep into the other half of the page... and grow... and GROW... getting wilder and wilder until the Wild Rumpus Dance (made up of six solid pages of GORGEOUS artwork, NO WORDS)... then Max decides he misses home... and the artwork shrinks... and shrinks... until the last page, which contains no artwork at all, but simply the words, "and it was still hot." Subconsciously, your mind goes on this fantastical journey into the extreme creative right brain where there are no concrete thoughts or language, just drug-trippy monsters and mayhem... then it returns just as abruptly. IS SENDAK A FRIGGIN' GENIUS OR WHAT???? Man, I love that guy.

Очарованието на книгата се крие в това, че тя признава открито пред четящото я дете, че импулсът да рушиш, да се оставиш на дивото в себе си, да изразяваш гняв и агресия може да донесе наслада. Няма порицание, няма “Макс се уплаши от диванетата и дълбоко съжали, че не е слушал майка си”. Напротив, целият сюжет е едно свободно разгръщане на разрушителните фантазии. Ницше би рекъл, че е триумф на дионисиевското над аполоновото начало, още повече, че има и див танц в гората. Да, приятно е да бъдеш див. Да, това е някакво решение, когато не можеш да отреагираш на страха по друг начин. Да, когато рушиш, се чувстваш силен. Възрастните рядко казват тези неща на децата – сякаш те няма да ги открият сами. Сендак въздейства именно затова, защото е абсолютно честен по тези въпроси. След което можем да му повярваме, когато допълва, че никакво дивеене няма да ни предпази от самотата или скръбта - и надеждата да те приемат обратно.

"The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind..." These are probably the best 13 opening words ever written in the history of picture books.

Sendak is a master of brevity, telling poignant stories in less words than most of us use to talk about the weather. His approach to children's literature is honest and non condescending. He remembers what is was like to be a child, and through his storytelling reminds the rest of us how our perception of the world was when we were young; dark and hopeful, mysterious and tangible, innocent and knowing, fearful and confident.

This book is pure magic.

The thing I remember most vividly about this book are the gorgeous illustrations, and the way the boy's bedroom would morph into the wild woods as the story went on. I really need to re-read this book some day...

I loved this book as a child and it is fun to see how much my kids love it, too!