LIBRARY MATTERS

Contributed Article
Published: May 15, 2008

June 10 marks the 80th birthday of author-illustrator Maurice Sendak, sometimes described as the Picasso of children’s literature. The youngest son of Polish immigrants, Sendak was born in Brooklyn and first achieved recognition as an artist for his black-and-white illustrations in Ruth Krauss’ A Hole Is To Dig (1952).
He is best known for Where the Wild Things Are, a wildly original look at a frustrated little boy that won the Caldedott Medal in 1964 and is now being adapted into a film by Spike Jonze with voice by Forest Whitaker. Sendak’s books make great read-alouds, and the creative energy revealed in his art will delight children and adults alike.
Check the online catalog for more of the library’s books by Maurice Sendak. Here is a sampling:
Where the Wild Things Are; Alligators All Around, an Alphabet; In the Night Kitchen; Brundibar; Chicken Soup with Rice; Father Bear comes home; Hector Protector and As I went over the water; Outside over there
To learn more about this interesting author check the online database: Biography Resource Center from the library’s database webpage In the American Master series, PBS did a wonderful show on Maurice Sendak that can be viewed at (use the search box for Sendak).
For help finding the titles you want go to or call (985-5227) the Greene County Library.