Where The Wild Things Are

Where The Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak (also illustrated)
Caldecott Award Winner
Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN: 0-06-025493-9

My rating: 2 out of 5

I've been a fan of Maurice Sendak ever since I read "Little Bear" at my grandma's years ago. However, I can't say that I am a big fan of this particular title. The main character, Max, is a little brat whose room is transformed into a jungle, where he soon becomes king of "The Wild Things." He returns home to find his supper waiting for him. I feel that Max is the wrong kind of character to be featured in a book such as this - he is the same at the end of the story as he was at the beginning. It almost encourages kids to just go and do whatever they want.

One thing I did enjoy though, was Sendak's illustrations. They are richly detailed, and yet, still maintain a certain cartoon-feeling about them.

"Where The Wild Things Are" is not Sendak's best work, but it would work well as a quick read-aloud, but I am not sure if a teacher would be able to use it to connect it to another subject. It may be best to leave this one for leasure time.