Literary Icons: Maurice Sendak

Time Inc.

Yes, he does look like a grumpy old man.

Maurice Sendak is a renowned author and illustrator of children's books, often considered a revolutionary in children's literature. I do have memories of encountering his work when I was a kid, but it was only in college when I majored in literature did I fully appreciate just how great Maurice Sendak is.

Although he has written several children's books, he is best-known for writing and illustrating Where the Wild Things Are, which won the Caldecott Medal in 1964, and was also turned into a movie back in 2009. And should he go down in history for that single book, it wouldn't matter. Mr. Sendak has already left his legacy. He has touched the lives of writers, illustrators, and readers alike. One of his favorite fan mails is from an 8-year-old boy, who writes, "Dear Mr. Sendak, [h]ow much does it cost to get to where the wild things are? If it is not expensive, my sister and I would like to spend the summer there." Reading that actually made me cry.

As recently as last year, 2011, Maurice Sendak was still very much in the game, with Bumble-Ardy. Here's a radio interview from September last year, where aside from his new book, he discusses his life and his legacy. And about death, all he had to say was, "I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready." In his own words, he is a happy old man, but he will be crying his way to the grave.

Here is my tribute to Maurice Sendak, with everything drawn by Sendak himself, his face taken from one of his self-portraits and composited over an illustration from his famous book. The picture shows the Wild Things giving Mr. Sendak a proper send-off along the River Styx, and as we appreciate this simple tribute, let us give a moment of silence for the loss of a literary great.

Maurice Bernard Sendak. 10 June 1928 ─ 8 May 2012.