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6 Reasons Every Kid Should Read Maurice Sendak’s Picture Books
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Beloved children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak left us with many memorable books, from the magical and whimsical to the cautionary and somewhat alarming. His stories have made generations laugh, cry, think, and dream more vividly. Equal parts eccentric and endearing (much like the author himself), his collection has become an iconic symbol of childhood for many. Here are six reasons we think every kid should get lost in a Maurice Sendak book.
Put Your Child’s Imagination to Work
Sendak’s unique characters and out-of-this-world illustrations help to spark imagination, encourage creative thinking, and foster inquisitive, curious young minds.
Provide a Lesson in Love
In Sendak’s most famous book, Where the Wild Things Are, naughty Max is sent to his room without supper. He dreams of a place where he can reign and rule and embrace adventure, as his room magically transforms into a mythical jungle-like environment inhabited by the most beastly of beings. He is crowned their king, but soon begins to miss his own family and mom—so he returns to his room to find his dinner, warmed and waiting. It’s a reminder that there really is no place like home, and no love like a parent’s love.
Teach Them About Respect & “Caring”
“There once was a boy named Pierre, who only would say ‘I don’t care!’” In Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue, young sullen Pierre doesn’t “care” about anything. In fact, he’s disrespectful, defiant, and downright bratty. Even when a hungry lion comes to eat him, he maintains that he just “doesn’t care”—until, of course, he does. After spending some alone time ruminating in that lion’s tummy, Pierre learns a lesson and gains some much-needed perspective.
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Give Them a Peek at the Dark Side
Not everything is bright and sunny and shiny and warm and cuddly in life. There are some not-so pleasant and potentially scary things to be aware of too. Sendak doesn’t shy away from the dark and dismal, even exploring themes like kidnapping in Outside Over There, bad parenting, monsters, and more. His tales aren’t meant to terrify children, but, rather, to help them face their fears and gain confidence and courage. (And in the same vein, a little mystery and just the right amount of spook factor can provide some serious entertainment for young readers!)
Help Them Embrace the Unconventional
As parents, we often encourage our children to march to the beat of their own drums. As an author and a creative thinker, Sendak did just this. He broke with the conventional norms of kid-lit and wasn’t afraid of a little controversy. In his trippy book In the Night Kitchen, a young boy has a dream that he’s frolicking through a baker’s kitchen in the buff, helping with the creation of a magnificent cake! Imagery of a naked boy drew backlash when it was published in 1971, but Sendak maintained that this work was playful, innocent, and entirely appropriate. It really is just about a boy enjoying his own delightful, dreamy adventure.
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Learn to Be a Trailblazer
Despite controversy, despite skepticism, despite obstacles and early critics, Sendak kept at it. He wrote and illustrated from his heart and drew from his personal experiences, fears, and dreams. And now, decades later, he remains an important and celebrated figure in literature.
Has your young reader fallen in love with the works of Maurice Sendak?