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Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak
The most comprehensive survey of the work of Maurice Sendak, the most celebrated picture book artist of all time―with previously unpublished archival materials Published in conjunction with the eponymous Sendak retrospective touring museums in the United States and Europe in 2022–24, Wild Things Are Happening emphasizes Maurice Sendak’s relationship to the history of art and the influences of his art collecting on his images. It features previously unpublished sketches, storyboards and paintings that emphasize Sendak’s creative processes.
Bringing together a broad diversity of perspectives on the award-winning artist, the book includes an extended essay by the renowned art historian Thomas Crow that traces the genesis and cultural contexts of Sendak’s most famous book, Where the Wild Things Are . It also includes interviews and appreciations by many of Sendak’s key collaborators, including Carroll Ballard, Michael Di Capua, John Dugdale, Spike Jonze, Twyla Tharp and Arthur Yorinks.
Maurice Sendak (1928–2012) was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland. A largely self-taught artist, Sendak wrote and illustrated over 150 books during his 60-year career, including Kenny’s Window , Very Far Away , The Sign on Rosie’s Door , Nutshell Library (consisting of Chicken Soup with Rice, Alligators All Around, One Was Johnny and Pierre ), Higglety Pigglety Pop! , Where the Wild Things Are , In the Night Kitchen and Outside Over There . He collaborated with such celebrated authors as Meindert DeJong, Tony Kushner, Randall Jarrell, Ruth Krauss, Else Holmelund Minarik and Isaac Bashevis Singer, and he illustrated classics by the Brothers Grimm, Melville and Tolstoy.
Bringing together a broad diversity of perspectives on the award-winning artist, the book includes an extended essay by the renowned art historian Thomas Crow that traces the genesis and cultural contexts of Sendak’s most famous book, Where the Wild Things Are . It also includes interviews and appreciations by many of Sendak’s key collaborators, including Carroll Ballard, Michael Di Capua, John Dugdale, Spike Jonze, Twyla Tharp and Arthur Yorinks.
Maurice Sendak (1928–2012) was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland. A largely self-taught artist, Sendak wrote and illustrated over 150 books during his 60-year career, including Kenny’s Window , Very Far Away , The Sign on Rosie’s Door , Nutshell Library (consisting of Chicken Soup with Rice, Alligators All Around, One Was Johnny and Pierre ), Higglety Pigglety Pop! , Where the Wild Things Are , In the Night Kitchen and Outside Over There . He collaborated with such celebrated authors as Meindert DeJong, Tony Kushner, Randall Jarrell, Ruth Krauss, Else Holmelund Minarik and Isaac Bashevis Singer, and he illustrated classics by the Brothers Grimm, Melville and Tolstoy.
247 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 7, 2024
You've all read "Where the Wild Things are" by Maurice Sendak right?
Meet the man behind the Wild Things!
An artist for life, a designer of stage productions (including notable iconic looks for The Nutcracker Ballet, which can still be seen to this day), a photographer, and one of the most awarded illustrators in American history, let the Maurice Sendak foundation, friends, family, directors, and collaborators share their personal stories of the man behind the picture books, theatre and beyond!
Full of tons of photos, sketches and illustrations from the man himself, and so much more!
This is a very text-heavy read, but I promise you, you will love it.
I appreciate Sendak's work more now that I know now why I was so drawn to his books as a kid: it was imagination, artistic in a theatrical way, and full of love!
Meet the man behind the Wild Things!
An artist for life, a designer of stage productions (including notable iconic looks for The Nutcracker Ballet, which can still be seen to this day), a photographer, and one of the most awarded illustrators in American history, let the Maurice Sendak foundation, friends, family, directors, and collaborators share their personal stories of the man behind the picture books, theatre and beyond!
Full of tons of photos, sketches and illustrations from the man himself, and so much more!
This is a very text-heavy read, but I promise you, you will love it.
I appreciate Sendak's work more now that I know now why I was so drawn to his books as a kid: it was imagination, artistic in a theatrical way, and full of love!
March 6, 2023
Filled with illustrations, interviews and essays. This beautiful book offers insight into the creative process and passions of Sendak.
April 22, 2024
Borrowed from my neighbour
November 29, 2022
"[Sendak] may have obsessed over the Lindbergh kidnapping, and the horror of the holocaust but he also loved to play with his Mickey Mouse toys, and his god was Mozart, whose music contains both joy and melancholy in equal measure."
An absolutely beautiful book about Maurice Sendak and his art. This man was an artist to its core, a lover of the finer things, and strict in his schedule. His warm-up exercises were fantastically creative, starting and finishing a small narrative with the beginning and end of a classical composition that rose and fall with the ebbs and flows of the music. Art, to him, was work, but it was also freeing.
This book in itself is an homage in its truest form: this book not only shows Sendak's art and offers literary and artistic criticism, but it honors his work as well. Through the endpapers that mimic the Where the Wild Things Are's endpapers and the highlighted quotations throughout the essays, these authors and designers clearly care about what they are writing.
While I had known some of the analyses and facts about Sendak and his art (thank you, Children's Literature degree!), I was also pleasantly surprised to learn about his love for Mozart. I can't help but to share that with everyone I know. Something about it seems so special, and I'm glad that they highlighted such an endearing trait.
Ultimately, this is the perfect book for anyone who wants to revisit their childhood.
An absolutely beautiful book about Maurice Sendak and his art. This man was an artist to its core, a lover of the finer things, and strict in his schedule. His warm-up exercises were fantastically creative, starting and finishing a small narrative with the beginning and end of a classical composition that rose and fall with the ebbs and flows of the music. Art, to him, was work, but it was also freeing.
This book in itself is an homage in its truest form: this book not only shows Sendak's art and offers literary and artistic criticism, but it honors his work as well. Through the endpapers that mimic the Where the Wild Things Are's endpapers and the highlighted quotations throughout the essays, these authors and designers clearly care about what they are writing.
While I had known some of the analyses and facts about Sendak and his art (thank you, Children's Literature degree!), I was also pleasantly surprised to learn about his love for Mozart. I can't help but to share that with everyone I know. Something about it seems so special, and I'm glad that they highlighted such an endearing trait.
Ultimately, this is the perfect book for anyone who wants to revisit their childhood.
December 30, 2024
This is a wonderful look at the life and work of my all-time favorite author/illustrator for kids. It uses interviews and essays to provide a biographical sketch of his life and work. This format gives you a sense of his influence as well. I really loved reading all of these different perspectives on his life which were interspersed with his illustrations and information about how his various projects came to be. I will return to this again and again.
December 19, 2025
3.5
This is a beautiful book, and the images are well-rendered. However, some of the tiny images were too hard to see; nine per page is too many -- at least once there are 15!
Little Bear was my introduction to Sendak's work, and next was 'Where the Wild Things Are' - which I didn't care for.
I'd prefer a heavily-edited version of the book, one with fewer names. As it is, I got 'bogged down' trying to keep track of everyone.
August 26, 2022
Terrific book!!! Wished I’d seen the exhibit, but then again, reading and looking through this book was holding the exhibit in my lap!
Jonathan Weinberg is the editor and did a great job putting this all together. (All those listed as primary contributors, are not. They were all interviewed by various people and Jonathan Weinberg and is a small, but important part of this book.)
Jonathan Weinberg is the editor and did a great job putting this all together. (All those listed as primary contributors, are not. They were all interviewed by various people and Jonathan Weinberg and is a small, but important part of this book.)
February 3, 2024
This is a beautiful book, full of sketches, paintings and illustrations created by the fabulous Maurice Sendak. The book provides interesting glimpses into various aspects of Sendak's creativity through interviews with friends and collaborators.
October 5, 2022
A touching insight into Sendak's outlook and artistic process, with the clearest printing of his work I've seen yet. Can't wait to see the exhibition!
February 27, 2023
The artwork is stunningly presented. The interviews are enlightening. A gigantic hit. Don't miss it.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews