Tuesday 8 May 2012

Goodbye Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak, writer and illustrator of 'Where the Wild Things Are' has passed away at the age of 83. The illustration on the classic children's book, a picture of a monster sleeping under a tree, seems to sum it up fittingly.

Maurice Sendak is particularly important. For millions of children who were tormented by monsters, under the bed, in closets or rattling in a tree outside a bedroom window, Sendak's 1963 vision of monsters was comforting, but also exciting and tempting. He gave legitimacy to the exciting and the unknown, creating an opportunity for later horror writers, particularly those of the early 80s.

Although he wrote and illustrated 19 children's books, 'Where the Wild Things Are' will be the one that is handed down for generations. It is an important work, not just for children, but for the adults who revisit it, remember their early fears and share it with their own children.

No comments:

Post a Comment