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Author and Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Maurice Bernard Sendak (born June 10, 1928) is an American
writer and illustrator who is best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963. An elementary school (from kindergarten to grade five) in North Hollywood,
CA is named in his honor.
Sendak was born in Brooklyn, NY, to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents, and decided to become an illustrator after viewing Walt Disney's
film Fantasia at the age of twelve. His illustrations were first published in 1947
in a textbook titled Atomics for the Millions. He spent much of the 1950s working as
an artist for childrens, before beginning to write his own stories.
Maurice Sendak is the first American ever to receive the Hans
Christian Andersen International Medal for the body of his work. He has illustrated nineteen books of his own, including his
classic trilogy, Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen, and Outside Over There, as well as The Nutshell Library, Higglety Pigglety Pop, Dear Mili, and We Are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy. He has also illustrated over sixty other books by different authors. In 1997
Maurice Sendak received a National Medal of the Arts, awarded by President Clinton. His book Swine Lake was published in 1999. In 2003, Maurice Sendak received the first Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for
Literature, from the Swedish Government. In late 2003, Sendak published a picture book entitled
Brundibar, based on the American version of the opera of the same name which he crafted in collaboration with Tony
Kushner, who wrote the text. Which is a children's picture book depicting the Jewish during WWII. Additionally, in 2003,
a new book of Sendak's illustrations and stage designs entitled The Art of Maurice Sendak: 1980 to the Present was published with text by Tony Kushner.
Acclaim:
Sendak gained international acclaim after writing and illustrating Where the Wild Things Are, though the book's depictions of fanged monsters concerned parents when it was first released, as his characters were
somewhat grotesque in appearance. Sendak's seeming attraction to the forbidden or nightmarish aspects of children's fantasy
have made him a subject of controversy.
Sendak’s book In the Night Kitchen, first published in 1970, has often been subjected to censorship for its drawings of a young boy prancing naked
through the story. The book has been challenged, and in some instances banned, in several American states including Illinios New
Jersey, Minnesotta, and Texas.
In the Night Kitchen regularly appears on the American Library Association's list of "frequently challenged
and banned books." It was listed number 25 on the "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000."
Beyond Illustration:
Sendak was an early member of the National Board of Advisors for the Children's Television Workshop during the development
stages of the television series Seseme Street.
Maurice Sendak
wrote and illustrated 22 children's books. He illustrated over 70 children's books.
Resources:
Steven Barclay Agency ~ Maurice Sendak
www.barclayagency.com
Wikipedia ~ Maurice Sendak
http://en.wikipedia.org
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