Where the Wild Things Are Reviews

• And they showed their terrible claws

  
  By A21AXU8TWE8GMT on 2000-03-31
  When Max is sent to bed without any supper because he is acting like a monster, his imagination really takes off. This book shows how an angry child can channel his emotions into imagination. Max magically transforms his room into a jungle, an ocean and an island where he becomes the king of the wild things, and has quite an adventure. Max does realize that at the end of the day, there is no place like home.

  This is a classic written in 1963 by Maurice Sendak. The New York Times claimed that Maurice Sendak was "one of the most powerful men in the US" because he was able to help shape the fantasies of millions of children. The illustrations in this book are startling and amazing. This would be a great book even if it didn't have any words, the pictures alone are great. This book was the winner of the Caladecott Medal for the Most Distinguished Picture Book of the year.

  This is a great story that both adults and children will enjoy alike. But I would recommend it for kids ages 6 and under. My son is always asking to read this book at bed time.
  
  

• A Must-Have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  
  By on 2007-12-05
  
  This is a story of a very bad boy's day of imaginative roll playing and final acceptance of his place in the real world. I love reading it to my little siblings and watching as their little faces lit up in recognition of adventures they had endured during their own periods of bad behavior... Check it out and get it for your brother or your listtle sister. Another MUST HAVE for older kids is the series Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2 by Nowiki. Very captivating and touching stories showing the world with cats eyes
  
  
  

• not as good as new books

  
  By on 2004-06-18
  I am almost 7 and my teachre said we have to say why we like a lot of books or do not like a lot of books this summer on amazon and then print out them and give them to our new teacher next year So I am starting with this book.

  My dad reelly likes this book because he said it was good when he was a kid. I dont like it. The pictures are boring and the story is not long. My dad reads this to me a lot and I like the books that are newer. New books have pictures that are pretty and the storys are funner and longer. This book has pictures that look old. I wish my dad would read this to himself and let me read something diferent. Nichole
  
  

• A great book for young children to read or have read to them

  
  By A3IDP3A0AM4ZSP on 2000-02-19
  It is a great book! I am 19 and still enjoy the great illustrations. It reminds me of my days as a youth when I fantasized about being in total control in a whole different world when my parents sent me off to my room and I was mad because I was being punished and felt I didn't deserve to be sent to my room. I like how Max becomes king and all the monsters are nice to him, I think that the way the monsters react to Max tells kids that they don't have to be frightened. If you're a beginning reader, read it! If you're a parent of a young child, read it to them! The vocabulary is understanding, and Max's wild imagination is very heartwarming to anyone who reads it. If you're my age, just beginning your years as a young adult, perhaps you could consider writing a book like this. It's not very hard, everyone has a little creativity of their own. Nobody should miss out on this title, Maurice Sendak has always had great illustrations. My father read it to me as a little boy, and I wondered why the last page saying "and it was still hot." had no pictures.
  
  

• A Story for the Ages

  
  By A1K1JW1C5CUSUZ on 1999-12-12
  My two sons absolutely loved this book. They liked the idea of going 'where the wild things are' and the book inspired a lot of play in our house. The book nicely balances the child's need for imaginative thinking with a sense of limits, and the pleasures of home. The illustrations clearly make this book great, because they provide a launch pad for this imaginary place. This is one of a handful of books that will bond you with your child for the rest of your lives. Don't miss that opportunity!

  Unlike some children's books which are a little boring for the adults to read after the 350th time, I always enjoyed this one because I could think new thoughts each time I read it.

  I think this is one of the best five books for children.
  
  

• Inside The Mind Of A Child
  By A12C0G1B5NXKB6 on 1999-11-30
  My mother first bought this book for my oldest son. It has endured as a beloved favorite to all three of my boys. I think that children can really identify with Max and his thoughts. When he is sent to his room for misbehavior, his imagination helps him to run away to where the wild things are and collect his thoughts. I believe that the author must remember what its like to be a child and feel like no one understands, and not quite understanding yourself. Ruling the wild things helps Max understand that he just wants to feel loved, and helps parents to keep in mind that such outbursts from children are generally cries for attention--for someone to love them best of all. Mr. Sendak understands children! When you read this book it will transport you back to your own childhood and you will remember that lost feeling of being a child. Bravo, Maurice! You are my hero!
  
  
• Review of Where the Wild Things Are
  By A3OYOYHVPKL1NZ on 2002-03-29
  Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are is a wonderfully presented story for children. The tale focuses on an apparently rowdy youth, Max, who is sent to bed without supper for his rambunctious escapades in the house. Later that night Max dreams of a magical rowdy world where he is king of all things wild and terrible, but eventually Max comes to realize that having everything always go your way lacks any real fulfillment. The incorporation of some values into a beautifully illustrated adventure is sure to entertain any small child while still effectively presenting a subtle message. Thus, a child is not confused, nor presented with a meaningless tale. The pictures have been recognized worldwide and have been presented with the prestigious Caldicott Award for illustrations in children's books. This book is printed in hardcover, a bonus for when handling is to be done by children, and the font is large and separated from pictures to avoid confusion. The author's connection of the textual story to the pictoral story is helpful for children learning to read as well, as it helps to form associations between pictures and words. Widely recognized as a classic, Where the Wild Things Are is a necessity for any small child's library.
  
  
• What a mistake
  By A1ZBAYUNOHO3SZ on 2001-05-20
  With all the reviews - I bought this book for my son. While the book had some good graphics, I believe the message is all wrong. He talks back to his mother and I think the message to kids is all wrong.

  Save your money - there are so many other books that send a positive message.
  
  

• Captures the Spirit of Childhood
  By A1W5VSMAACG2KN on 2001-06-15
  This is the classic of all children's books. I've read it to my two kids so many times we all have it memorized. We're on our second copy because the pages were literally falling out of the first copy.

  Not only is it beautifully illustrated and written, I think we love this book so much because it captures the joys and fears of childhood so perfectly.

  Max is a creative, willful child who gets sent to his room without supper. Angry at his mother, he escapes to a fantastic world full of wild but controllable monsters where he becomes the King of All Wild Things. But after a while he longs to return to where "someone loved him best of all." He finds that, by leaving his supper for him, his mother still loves him.

  I don't know of any other book that better captures the feelings of being a child (or of being a parent watching your children grow up.)
  
  

• This book is inappropriate for my four year old.
  By on 1999-11-05
  I don't understand how this book is on the best seller's list. The illustrations are scary for young children. The educational value of this book is very negative. Instead of teaching of self discipline and respect for authority, this book promotes disobedience and violence. I know, for years, it has received glowing reviews. I disagree with all of them. This book entered the trash can the day it entered our home.
  
  
• A classic for your child to enjoy
  By A3ARV0MHB509C9 on 2000-07-11
  My 3 year old son loves this book. Beautifully illustrated and the winner of the 1963 Caldecott Medal for illustration, this is a fantasy of a little boy who is put in his room for misbehaving (a time out in modern day language). Max turns his room into a jungle and sails away on a ship, over seas with fire breathing dragons and monsters, then to arrive on an island where the wild things live. If you are of the 20th century, you must have seen these illustrations as they are part of our culture. Max becomes the king of the wild things and sees the wild things through a rumpus, where they hang from trees and have a wonderful time. Max decides to leave as he misses his mother and returns to his room where his mother has left him his supper, and it is still hot. No need to psychoanalyze this story. Your kids will enjoy it. The monsters are not scary and the story and illustrations are terrific. You and your kids should greatly enjoy this story. Highly highly recommended!
  
  
• a few issues for parents to explain to kids...
  By A3SMR4HRFJARSC on 2000-10-23
  I grew up with this book but hadn't read it for many years.
  
  When I read it to my 3 year-old there were a few issues. First, you can tell it is dated because the boy is punished and sent to his room without dinner. This is not a current trend that the parenting experts advise. In our house we don't punish by withholding food, so my son was a little confused. My son also didn't understand what the boy did that was so bad that he had to stay in his room alone. In today's time of the time-out or the "let's discuss your behavior" method, this punishment seems outdated.
  
  Thanks to watching an episode of Scooby-Doo, my son is afraid of monsters and I've been telling him there is no such thing. So here comes this book and here are the monsters. Even though they are funny and good monsters, I was faced with telling my son these monsters were good but then trying to say that there is no such thing. I made up the storyline that he had fallen asleep and he dreamed of the monsters. The illustrations are fun for me to see and we talked about what the silly monsters were doing. I recommend that the parent read it alone first and think about how you want to present these issues to your children before siting down with them to read it to them. I wish I had done that!
  
  Update: The son I referenced above is now ten years old. He did go on to love this book when he was a bit older. My younger son also loves the story and always has. I guess this is a case of how each book affects different kids differently. As well it is an example of a book not clicking with a child at one age but the book is sometimes better for that child when they are a bit older.
  
  I have since seen this book referenced in book discussions, with adults analyzing the content to the minutae. I don't know if they are right or wrong or if it even matters.
  
  What I can report at this point in time in the year 2007 is that both of my kids love this book now and when they see the cover they say, "Oh! That book!" and they want to read it again. So perhaps this story also appeals to children in a way that we adults may not ever fully understand. And other adults may like the book for reasons that are different than the children's.
  
  Sendak is a favorite author and illustrator in our family. Chicken Soup with Rice is one that my kids are wild about.
  
  
• This Is A Great Book! ...
  By AUQXQO1JA7ZKZ on 2002-11-04
  Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a really great book. It is winner of the Caldecott Medal for the Most Distinguished Picture book of the Year. The story is about a boy named Max who puts on a wolf suit and makes lots of mischeif. He is then sent to his room without any supper. He then dreams of going to where the wild things are. Something happens there and he decides that he wants to go home to where someone loves him the best and to the things that smell good to eat. He goes back home and supper is waiting for him in his room.
  This is a great book for teaching children how to put words and pictures together. Mauice Sendak did an excellent job with the pictures. This book is not only fun to read and play along with but to learn a message. That being in charge and having everyone listen to you isn't always the greatest. Also, I think that this is an excellent bedtime story. Your children will have fun listening to you read it to them, and then them reading it to you as they get older. I highly recamend that you read this book.
  
  
• The Most Overated Creepy Children's Book of the Century
  By on 2002-12-10
  ....- suddenly, those monsters were fleshed out for me, thanks to Sendak and his scary illustrations. This book creeps me out to this day. Those ugly monsters with their pointy little fangs, claws and horns are nasty looking. I have mentioned this book to my friends and they all agreed with me: this story is not for children.
  
  
• So he sailed away for a year and a day
  By AMX0PJKV4PPNJ on 2004-05-14
  I haven't a clue how one goes about reviewing the book that is perhaps the most beloved, respected, and widely enjoyed American picture book of the last 100 years. Maurice Sendak could never have imagined that his canny "Where the Wild Things Are" would not only capture the Caldecott Award of 1963, but go on to be hailed by critics, loved by librarians, and considered by parents to be one of the finest works of picture book art ever concocted. Is the book deserving of its praise? I suppose. But honestly, it is very difficult to read it today without getting caught up in its publicity and hype. On the whole, though, it is an enjoyable read and few can resist its charms.
  
  We begin the book with two small vignettes of the naughty things Max does that get him sent to bed. Max is a boy outfitted in a wolf suit, and after being sent to his room he finds his boudoire changed completely into a wild forest. After hopping a nearby boat and traveling, "In and out of weeks and almost over a year to where the wild things are" he is in a land of monsters. Taming them by staring them down, the Wild Things make Max their king and celebrate his crowning. Max proclaims that a wild rumpus should start, and start it does. When it ends, however, Max decides that he needs to be near someone who loves him. He leaves his beloved Wild Things, sails back into his room, and goes down to dinner where, on a single white page, we are told, "it was still hot".
  
  Simultaneously combining the wish to be a wild naughty creature uninhibited by love, or rules, or society and at the same time revealing the human need for comfort, the book is a success. In its illustrations, those wild crazy creatures with their too large eyes and sharp razor-like claws, it is a success. In its text, the elegantly presented last line or the repetition of wild things saying "I'll eat you up", it is a success. Heck, the book is good. And really, what more is there to say? Reviewing classics like this one is a pointless job. I'm not going to be shocking and say that every reviewer since the 1960s is wrong about this book, cause they're not. They're right, it's great. Does it deserve the huge publicity and love its garnered? Maybe. Maybe not. But the adults like it and the kids like it, and that is (as they say) enough. So take it home and love it yourself. It is a great book.
  
  
• Expanding the child's Imagination
  By on 1999-11-10
  Where the Wild Things Are is a childrens' book classic. The fluid, detailed illustration and simple naration of Maurice Sendak makes this book complete. It is the life and imagination of every child, to escape to a distant land and play with imaginary characters all day and be king for a day. Everyone should take the oppurtunity and place themselves in Max's world once in a while, it's healthy to have a imagination and develop a creative conscience.
  
  
• Absolutely Atrocious!
  By on 2000-12-04
  I cannot believe this book is a best seller. Max, the protagonist, is a wild, rude, annoying, little snot-nosed monster. The last thing I want is for my child to model her behavior after him! My daughter received this as a gift and it is now in the trash because I could not bring myself to give it away to another child.
  
  
• Classic story, classy art from a classy illustrator.
  By A23OLHL5RPQKLP on 2002-10-11
  Not much can be added to the accolades of so many people concerning the books and art of Maurice Sendak. I grew up with his work, I read his books to my children, I am reading them now to my grandchildren. ... And so will send for a hardback edition this time around. When children ask to read a book over and over again, you know that that book has found a place in their imaginations. This is one such book. When I think of a classic picture book, there are two such Maurice Sendak books that come to mind. His work is beyond mere illustration, it is an artform. The pictures require close attention to catch all the visual nuances.

  Max is a typical little boy, who dons his wolf outfit and becomes a 'wolf' in his active imagination. In sending him to bed without dinner, he uses his imagination to turn his room into a wild forest inhabited by humongous monsters. He asserts his powers over the monsters, and becomes their rightful king, for he is surely a monster himself! Yet, his mother loves him in spite of his monsterism...and eventually he comes home to find that mother has relented and brought in his dinner...

  This winter, get this book, this classic and sit down in a big chair with a child and read and pore over this book together. Every time a child is read to, it expands their imaginations, helps to determine their life course, aids in getting them ready for school and the 'real world'. Our children are not getting the aural and visual stimulation that is our right as chldren. My parents read to me, and I've never stopped reading because of that...in spite of captioned television and computer access. Our children have a right to be read to by someone they love and someone who loves them. Turn the television and computers off, and use a rainy evening to spend time with your own monsters. Maybe someday they will become the next Maurice Sendak!

  Karen Sadler,
  Science Education,
  University of Pittsburgh
  
  

• Wild About Wild
  By A3FVAWZNKW9GX on 2002-10-15
  Maurice Sendak is one of those great children's book creators who could write and draw. He helped me dream as a young boy, and I should pay him credit for helping me imagine things today.
  
  When I was little, I'd stare at the page long after my mother finished reading it to me. Sendak seemed to have found my creative pulse, as he drew me in to wonder about his world of pretend monsters. The monsters are not quite so terrible, and could be considered friendly.
  
  Max and I are both boys, and it must ordinary for we boys to get in a terrific amount of trouble in the process of playing. I related to Max. He sounded like a real boy. I was never quite sure what a rumpus was, but I knew it sounded like a lot of fun.
  
  The pictures are cool. There is a rich, full-of-flavor tension in the art. The expressions and poses of the characters come across as genuine.
  
  Don't be fooled by the amazing pictures. You'll enjoy the carefully laid story just as much, and your child can close his eyes and imagine his own version.
  
  A wonderful book. A classic. If you've got kids, or if you read to your family's or neighbor's kids, this is one book which will be dog-eared from numerous reads.
  
  I fully recommend "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak.
  
  Anthony Trendl
  editor, HungarianBookstore.com
  
  
• Perfect for the young imagination!
  By A36KYAFX5L9QH6 on 2001-11-07
  My oldest son, now 15, still knows the words by heart. My four-year-old daughter is learning them. Max is the not-so-bad monster in every little one; the one who is brave and wild and tender and imaginative all at once. He is the King of all wild things--and they love him, but not quite as much as his mother (who couldn't bring herself to REALLY send him to bed without anything to eat at all).

  Enough with the PC rants about this book. Another reviewer said he was "snotty" and rude. Give me a break-what child isn't just a tiny bit too lippy on some days. It's life. The thing about the book is that while Max may be a little "snotty," he's imaginative, alive, and still knows that even after being punished, his mother loves him 'best of all.'

  The illustrations are beautiful. The story is terrific. And I'm glad to say it was the perfect snuggle-at-bedtime book for every one of my children.

  And I have the words retained in memory forever. I'll someday chant them to my grandchildren.
  
  

• read it for what it is
  By A1HE15I3CLBOK9 on 2006-06-12
  I am surprised at some of the reasons some reviewers give for posting a negative score for this book. One reviewer stated that this book had wonderful illustrations but the writing was horrendous with little content. This reason seemed enough for that particular reviewer to give it a feeble one star. Well isn't it a picture book first and foremost? A PICTURE BOOK. Another point brought up by someone was that it set a terrible example to kids that it's ok to be bratty. Well here's a news flash... Every kid goes through tantrums and frustrations. Its all part of learning to understand the grown-up world outside their bedroom door. Sometimes a child's only haven is inside their room, where they are free to sort things out and release their frustrations. Sometimes its very hard for a child to make sense of the world around them. Remember when you were a kid and just didn't understand why you were getting in trouble? It may seem obvious to a parent, but to a two year old, its a whole mess of feelings. Max was, after all, being punished for his actions. Was he supposed to be a good little boy and be happy that he got in trouble? Every kid goes through those "terrible times" stage, and It's funny how some parents seem to forget... Sendak never said it was ok to snap at mommy, so I am curious as to where that reviewer assumed that this was the message. It's a story of what goes through the imagination of a young boy when he gets punished, and how he deals with these emotions. We don't become adults at the snap of a finger...
  I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so I leave it up to you to make yours. My opinion is this: fantastic book, fantastic illustrations, fantastic pace... just right for what it is, a picture book that I loved as a kid and loving reading to the kids as an adult.
  
  
• Ingeniously Imaginative Mischievousness
  By A2ARUY9SV21UMZ on 2001-01-19
  Winner, in 1964, of the Caldecott Medal for the Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year, Where The Wild Things Are, by celebrated author-illustrator Maurice Sendak, was one of my favorite picture books as a kid and remains so to this day. I have two nephews now, and I can't wait `til they're a little older so I can share Where The Wild Things Are with them. Both the book and its author deserve every word of praise and every award they have earned in the last thirty-six years. At the warm heart of Where The Wild Things Are is a boy named Max, who is determined to have as much fun as possible, even if having that fun means wreaking havoc throughout the house. Before long, Max is, understandably, sent to his room without any supper for running wild and making so much mischief. What's a boy sent to his room to do? Why, go where the wild things are, of course! As if by magic, Max's room transforms into a forest that grows and grows by leaps and bounds. Then, an ocean tumbles by, complete with a private boat for a delight-ed Max. Max hops in his private boat and sails to the land where the wild things are and where a glorious destiny awaits him. After raising a ruckus with the fearsome creatures that are the wild things, Max begins to feel lonely, so he sails for home. And there, on the table by his bed, a surprise that is a testament to a mother's love for her son, awaits. No matter how old you are, the excitement of the story of Where The Wild Things Are is infectious and will hold you as well as your kids enthralled. The story is accompanied by artwork that is as imaginative as it is richly detailed, and that compliments the delightful story on the perfect note. I would also venture to add that Mr. Sendak's understated use of color throughout the book makes his pictures all the more vivid and exciting; each one seems to jump right off the page with a life of its own. Where The Wild Things Are truly is a delightful treasure, and will serve as an on-going testament to the power of the imagination whether you are young or old. Treat yourself and your kids to a copy of Where The Wild Things Are. While you're in the market for picture books, I would also highly recommend The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg, Miss Spider's Wedding by David Kirk, God Bless The Gargoyles by Dav Pilkey and Night Of The Gargoyles by Eve Bunting. Enjoy!
  
  
• May the Rumpus never end.
  By A2B21POKQ3N09H on 2002-02-26
  They're not called the "terrible two's" for nothing and the brilliance of this tale is in the fact Maurice Sendak has miraculously captured the rebellious and imaginative force of those in the thrall of the "terrible two's" in a way that anyone of any age can empathize with and appreciate.

  Max. in typical terrible two fashion, has been a bit disrespectful to mom and is his room-sent there without his supper. A magical world arises and Max is transported to where the Wild Things are--whimsical "monsters" who manage to look both scary and ridiculous at the same time. Max, empowered in this world as he never is in his own, becomes ruler in this world and "manages" the rumpus that characterizes it--why, he even has the power to deny the monsters their own suppers!

  In the end, however, Max decides to return to his room--to discover that though gone, he was not forgotten.

  This is a truly marvelous book. It's fun to read aloud, allowing the reader to be as expressive and dramatic as he wishes. The illustrations are delightful--colorful, action filled and, best of all, always a true complement to the story at all times.

  One of the best children's books ever written. May the Rumpus never end!
  
  

• A New Age Classic
  By A3CMRKGE0P909G on 2002-03-24
  This book is about a boy named Max who puts on a wolf costume and feels like making some trouble. He breaks some rules and is sent to bed without supper. That night his imagination runs wild. He goes on a journey in the jungle that has grown in his room. He meets many types of monsters on his journey and is returned safely home.
  I have always loved reading this book. The story is fun and adventurous. The illustrations are extremely well done and do wonders for the story. I loved it as a child and I still love it now. The book gives children a chance to use their imagination. This is a book that I will use both as a teacher and with my own children someday. Whether you like the story itself or you just like to look at the illustrations, this is definitely a book for people of all ages. I think that the author was trying to relay the message of "do the crime pay the time". Showing that although getting into trouble can be fun sometimes, there is always a price to pay.
  
  
• Ageless Fun
  By A3BPX5PUJ91YLM on 2000-01-30
  I loved this book! My son brought it home from the school library when he was in grade school back in the 1980's. He just loved it and wanted me to read it to him over and over again. He was a very active little boy and was always getting into trouble. My nephew is now 4 years old and the same way. We call him our wild child. I had been looking for this book for the past two years and was so thrilled to finally find it at Amazon.com! I'm sending it to my nephew for his fourth birthday. The story is about a little boy who gets sent to his room for misbehaving. While being punished, he goes into an imaginative world of his own where the wild things are! It is a delightful story with lots of action. As an adult in my forties, I still love to read it over and over again.
  
  
• Better believe it!
  By A3BGEOFEHZWQML on 1999-12-12
  Do NOT let your children leave childhood without this book! No book gave my 3 boys or me more pleasure at bedtime story reading than this one. The narrative is so polished and perfect that after 2 or 3 readings you will not be permitted to misspeak a single syllable - though it's always fun to try. But this book is more than entertainment. The themes of journey and monsters and the safe harbor of home seem to strike a very deep chord with kids. I cannot say enough good things about this book.
  
  
• Notes from a twenty-six year old Max...
  By AB37F9VFT162 on 2000-12-21
  I had somehow forgotten about this treasure until I worked at a family run bookstore for a few years. It was when cleaning the children's book section that I re-discovered this little marvel. How much do I like this book? How can you tell I love this book, it's simple story-telling and wonderful illustrations? The answer is simple. For the bookstore's annual Halloween party, I went as Max. It takes a special book to get a twenty-year old kid to ask his mom to make him a Max costume. Also takes a special mom. It's not very often that books like this come along, and they should be treasured, and most importantly, shared. Buy this book, read it to your kids, your nieces, nephews, grandkids, or read it for yourself. But don't get to thinking that my mom will make a costume for you too...
  
  
• you make everything groovy
  By A3QVAKVRAH657N on 2002-06-02
  Max, the hero of my book, discharges his anger against his mother, and returns to the real world sleepy, hungry, and at peace with himself
  -Maurice Sendak, Caldecott acceptance speech

  Although any mother who dresses her kid in a wolf suit should really expect the worse, Max gets in so much trouble wearing his that his mother calls him a "Wild Thing!" When he yells back : "I'll eat you up!", she sends him to bed without dinner. So Max sails off to where the Wild Things are to be their king and have a wild rumpus. But, eventually growing hungry and lonely, he gives up his kingship and sails back home, where he finds his supper waiting.

  This most famous and beloved of Mr. Sendak's many books retains its charms some forty years after it first came out. Like our children themselves, the Wild Things manage to be scary and amusing at the same time, just as the story blends rebelliousness with needfulness. "Let the wild rumpus
  start..."

  GRADE : A
  
  

• Roar!
  By A7SSCDSCM4PXF on 2002-07-20
  The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind..and another

  So starts one of the most perfect and wonderful illustrated children's books of all time. Max like many children has been engaged in a bit of mischief and is sent to bed without supper. While in his room he imagines an imaginary place where the "beasts" are wild and he is ruler. Max learns that this is not the kind of place he wants to live and even though he has made mischief, he is still loved by his parents. Both are important lessons for a child.

  As a preschool teacher, I have read this book countless times to many children and can attest to its appeal. The children are delighted to roll their eyes, show their claws and roar their roars along with the wild things when the wild rumpus starts. For new parents this is one book I would say to include in your child's library. I'm sure that you will read it enough times to memorize it.

  Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are was first published in 1963 so stands the test of time having served generations of children. The story and illustrations are as appealing today as they were nearly 40 years ago.
  
  

• "LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!"
  By A3SAU1A0IEYDNX on 2002-08-15
  I remember this from childhood. I went through hundreds, I just always loved books. Time passes quickly and suddenly you are a parent. You naturally want to share your favorite childhood books with your child, only to realize you don't remember them! Well, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE isn't one of those forgotten books.

  It is a story of Max who was a bit too "wild" for his mom to handle one night. She called him, "WILD THING!" and Max said, "I'LL EAT YOU UP!" He shouldn't have said that because his mother promptly sent him to bed without supper. But Max's room transformed into a magical place. With trees and vines that "grew and grew," it became "the world all around." His very own private boat sailed him off "to where the WILD THINGS are.

  The reader is pulled into the story with the amazing illustrations, (chiaroscuro in top form) and the interesting, succinct story. The child BECOMES Max and enjoys ruling over the wild things and doing wild things like dancing and howling under the moon. Each wild thing is very expressive and interesting to look at--so much so, that now there are collectibles of each one in toy stores! I think that the way they are rendered--not scary, not cute, but so wonderfully ambiguous, is what brings the reader back again and again. Bravo, Mr. Sendak!

  WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is, in my opinion, a must-own book for children of all ages. It earns the highest recommendation for a children's book. No wonder everyone gives it 5 stars; it's a true classic and winner of the Caldecott Medal for the "Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year." Get a copy today to share with your "wild things."
  
  

• Franklin KID240 Speaking Homework Wiz

• Goodnight Moon
• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
• The Giving Tree
• Harold and the Purple Crayon 50th Anniversary Edition (Purple Crayon Books)
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar