Where the Wild Things Were….

The news of Maurice Sendak’s passing has left me very sad this morning. I can only say how fiercely I respected the way he saw the grim, audacious, carnivorous, generosity of children. I learned from the New York Times article that his partner of many years was a child psychiatrist, which makes perfect sense. There are not enough words to say how much he changed the way we write for children, the way we see them and the way we admit the sacred and profane memories of our own childhoods. No therapist or teacher I know could list the number of children’s voices they have heard shaping and reshaping his fearless words. If you haven’t seen this interview you will enjoy it. At 83 years old this man still knew exactly how to cope with the grisly combination of friendly charm and breath-taking cruelty.

You know he would have loved beavers.

Here are some additional comments to go with your viewing pleasure. If you would like to add your own email them to me.

Twig Stories by Jo Marshall You wrote a beautiful and meaningful tribute to Mr. Sendak’s art and life, Heidi. It would have been wonderful to see his story about beavers. So sad to lose such a great and honest illustrator.

Longtime beaver support JD-Please, pretty please with sugar on top…post Pt. 2 of that extraordinary Colbert interview with Maurice Sendak. I am in love with them both.

LB-Loved the interview this morning on the website. What a delightful and interesting person.