Where the Wild Things Are

Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. Illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Harper & Row, 1963. 40 pages.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a picture book about a young boy’s escape to an alternate world through the use of his imagination. It all begins with a wild, little boy named Max who talked back to his mother. She then sent him to his room without food, and overnight, he decided to go see where the wild things are. He imagined a whole new world where he was king of the monsters. He stayed there for quite awhile until he was lonely and longed for the love of another person. He decided to give up the throne and return to his bed where a warm plate of food was waiting for him.

“And Max the king of all wild things was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all”

The illustrations in this book are essential to the plot. The story focuses on the boy’s imagination and without pictures, too much would be left for the reader to imagine themselves. Especially from a child’s perspective, the illustrations are beneficial in guiding the child along and keeping them interested. The use of vivid color and absence of boundaries as the story progresses are also vital to keeping the child attentive.

This book may simply serve as a source of entertainment for a child, but there are also some underlying philosophical ideas in the story. This story can be used to teach children about the connection between misbehavior and punishment. Many people question whether or not punishments actually prevent misbehavior from happening again and whether or not they reform the perpetrator. By asking questions about if Max’s punishment fit his crime or if he should have been punished at all, children will begin to think about misbehavior and punishment in a new perspective.