Maurice Sendak

Discover the life, art, and enduring legacy of Maurice Sendak (1928–2012), the American author-illustrator behind Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen, and more. Explore his inspirations, philosophy, and most memorable quotes.

Introduction

Maurice Bernard Sendak (June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author, illustrator, and visionary artist who reshaped children’s literature with works that did not shy away from childhood’s darker, more complex emotional landscapes. Best known for Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak combined poetic imagery, psychological depth, and an unflinching regard for what children truly feel. His influence remains profound today — his stories and illustrations continue to speak to readers of all ages, bridging fantasy and reality, innocence and anxiety, wonder and fear.

Early Life and Family

Maurice Sendak was born in Brooklyn, New York, the youngest of three children, on June 10, 1928.

As a child, Sendak experienced health challenges that confined him to bed at times, during which he turned to books and illustrations for solace. Fantasia, he resolved to become an illustrator.

His siblings also followed literary paths: his brother Jack Sendak became a children’s author, and Maurice would later collaborate with him on some projects.

Youth and Education

Maurice Sendak did not follow a conventional academic route in art. He was largely self-taught, though he did attend the Art Students League of New York, where he honed his technical and artistic skills under the guidance of artists such as John Groth.

From a young age, he drew constantly and studied how images and stories coalesced into emotional experiences.

Career and Achievements

Beginnings as Illustrator and Collaborator

Sendak's professional journey formally began in 1947, when, at age 19, he earned a commission to illustrate a scientific book Atomics for the Millions. A Hole Is to Dig) and the Little Bear series by Else Holmelund Minarik.

In 1956, he published his own first solo book, Kenny’s Window. The Nutshell Library (1962), a set of four small books with a poetic, whimsical style.

Where the Wild Things Are & Breakthrough

In 1963, Sendak released Where the Wild Things Are, a masterwork that would define his legacy.

Initially controversial for its somewhat dark, wild, and psychologically daring imagery, the book was nevertheless embraced for its honesty.

Following Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak produced, over decades, works such as In the Night Kitchen (1970), Outside Over There (1981), Higglety Pigglety Pop! (1967), and, later, adaptations and cross-genre projects like Brundibár (2003).

Expansion into Theater, Opera, and Multi-Media

Beyond books, Sendak’s creative reach extended into theater, opera, ballet, set design, and media:

• He designed costumes and sets for opera and ballet productions (e.g. The Nutcracker, The Magic Flute, L’enfant et les sortilèges) and children's theaters.

• He adapted his stories for stage and screen; Really Rosie became a musical and special, Where the Wild Things Are was adapted into a 2009 film by Spike Jonze.

• He took on visual and narrative projects in television (e.g. short segments on Sesame Street) and collaborated with writers such as Tony Kushner on adaptations (e.g. Brundibár).

These interdisciplinary ventures reflect Sendak’s belief that imagination is not bound to page but can come alive in real space, sound, and performance.

Honors, Awards, and Recognition

Sendak accrued numerous accolades over his career:

• Caldecott Medal, 1964 (for Where the Wild Things Are)

• Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration, 1970 — a major international honor in children’s literature

• Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (now Children’s Literature Legacy Award), 1983, for lasting contributions to children’s books

• National Medal of Arts, 1996, presented by the U.S. government for distinguished contributions to artistic excellence

• Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, 2003 (one of the richest awards in children’s literature)

Sendak’s works have been translated into many languages, and his illustrations and manuscripts are preserved in the Maurice Sendak Foundation and other institutions.

Historical Milestones & Context

Maurice Sendak’s career unfolded in a broader mid-20th-century moment when children’s literature was evolving from moralistic fables to stories that acknowledged emotional complexity, fear, rebellion, and interiority. He played a central role in that shift — pushing against the idea that books for children must be sanitized or simplistic.

His illustrations often drew on a synthesis of influences: the old masters, folklore, Jewish mysticism and storytelling traditions, early cartoons and comic art, as well as the haunting atmospheres of memory and fantasy.

In a time when the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust lingered as a generational trauma, Sendak’s background and personal history gave him a sensitivity to absence, loss, and ambivalence — themes that resonate under the surface of many of his works.

Moreover, his multidisciplinary expansions (into opera, stage, and television) reflect a late 20th-century artistic move toward hybridity — treating children’s imagination as central to all forms of art, not confined to a “kids’ corner.”

Legacy and Influence

Maurice Sendak’s legacy is vast and multifaceted:

1. Reimagining Children’s Literature
   He broke open the boundaries of what children’s books could address — emotions beyond sweetness and whimsy, including fear, anger, and longing. His approach encouraged generations of writers and illustrators to take children seriously, not condescendingly.

2. Inspiring Visual Storytelling
   His blending of dreamlike scenes, expressive line work, and psychological intuition has influenced illustrators, animators, and picture-book creators worldwide.

3. Cultural Endurance
   Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, and many more remain staples in children’s libraries, school curricula, and popular culture. Films, adaptations, exhibitions, and scholarly works continue to revisit and reinterpret his work.

4. Interdisciplinary Art
   His work in theater, opera, and stage design exemplifies how children’s literature can engage with adult forms of storytelling. He showed that a “children’s artist” can also inhabit the realm of high art.

5. Philosophy of Imagination and Respect for Children
   Sendak’s worldview — that children have complex inner lives deserving of respect — has become a touchstone in debates over censorship, creative freedom, and the role of art in childhood development.

Personality, Mind, and Creative Vision

Maurice Sendak was known for his candor, wit, and strong convictions. He resisted being pigeonholed as merely a “children’s author,” and often spoke about the seriousness, mystery, and emotional gravity of his work.

He once said:

“My theme is living. I use a metaphor of children’s imagery … to express complicated, sophisticated adult feelings.”

He admitted that he was not religious (an atheist), and sometimes spoke about mortality, relationships, and memory with stark directness.

He also expressed that he sometimes felt guilt over not sharing his true self earlier, stating that he never told his parents about his sexuality.

In interviews, he was playful yet serious, often reflecting that children and grown-ups existed in tension. He once remarked:

“We’ve educated children to think that spontaneity is inappropriate. … Grown-up lives have become overlaid with dross.”

Sendak’s personal style and creative stance embraced the paradox: he believed that children deserve the truth, even when it’s messy, and that art is a pathway to emotional authenticity.

Famous Quotes by Maurice Sendak

Below are several quotes that capture the insight, tenderness, and occasional darkness in Sendak’s voice:

“Inside all of us is … hope. Inside all of us is also fear. We must be strong to live.” “You cannot write for children. They’re much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them.” “I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can’t stop them. They leave me and I love them more.” “There must be more to life than having everything.” “And now,” cried Max, “let the wild rumpus start!” “We’ve educated children to think that spontaneity is inappropriate. … Grown-up lives have become overlaid with dross.” “No story is worth the writing, no picture worth the making, if it’s not the work of the imagination.”

These words reflect his belief in the potency of imagination, the necessity of emotional risk, and the honesty owed to young minds.

Lessons from Maurice Sendak

From Sendak’s life and work, many lessons emerge:

1. Embrace the darkness to illuminate the light. Sendak believed that children’s stories need not be sanitized; confronting fear and loss can make kindness and return more meaningful.

2. Respect the complexity of children. He refused to talk down to kids, trusting their intelligence, emotional nuance, and capacity for ambiguity.

3. Let your influences be wide and deep. His art drew from folklore, painting, comics, Jewish storytelling, opera — a reminder to allow cross-pollination in creative work.

4. Transcend boundaries of medium. He moved boldly between books, stage, and visual design, showing that creative identity need not stay in one lane.

5. Live your art authentically. He was unabashed about his convictions, beliefs, and identity — which lent credibility and power to his creative voice.

Conclusion

Maurice Sendak remains a monumental figure in the world of children’s literature and visual storytelling. His work broke through tidy conventions to honor the full inner lives of children — their anger, fear, longing, and wonder. He challenged the notion that children’s books should only comfort; instead, he believed they should invite, provoke, and resonate across a lifetime.

Though he left us in 2012, his influence endures: in illustrators who follow his lead, in adaptations, exhibitions, and in the countless readers who revisit Wild Things or In the Night Kitchen and find new meaning with each reading.

If you’d like a deeper dive into one of his books or to explore how his art influenced modern illustrators, I’d be happy to help.