The Book Review: “Where the Wild Things are” by Maurice Sendak.

The Book Review: “Where the Wild Things are” by Maurice Sendak.

“Then from far away across the world he smelled good things to eat, so he gave up being king of the wild things.”  – Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are [“Wo die Wilden Kerle wohnen” – the German translation of the book] 

I heard about this book a long time ago, however I did purchase it at STRAND Bookstore for my son two weeks ago. And of course a little bit for myself as well. This book is just awesome. The illustrations and drawings entwined with the story is just really well done by Sendak. I want to share the story here and why I love it.

Max is the main character and he just loves to scare things by putting on his wolf suit. His mother calls him “Wild Thing” and one night just sends him to bed without dinner. That night (is he dreaming or not) a huge forest begins to grow in Max’s room and ocean built up to take Max to the place where the wild things are. Max tames the wild things and crowns himself as their king and then the craziness. As soon as he sent the monsters to bed and everything is quiet he is feeling so lonely that he decides and realizes that it is time to sail home to the place where someone loves him no matter what.

Now Max gets hungry and goes back home where his mother had left his food still warm for him. First I thought, “Okay, leave the supper out for me before  my room is becoming a freaking forest inhabited by monsters and then put me to bed”. What do you think I am gonna do that night? Sleep? Nope! All I would do is hide under the bed with a knife, my husband’s flashlight and simply just hoping that if THIS is the night it all goes terribly wrong I have the courage to look all these monsters directly in the eye and not peeing myself. Any other kid would probably made a nest in his bed or a fort protected by a teddy bear and some pillows and did not sleep but stayed quiet until the next morning. But not Max.

This is the story I read to my son last night and I think it is just awesome. Hands down! It feels like reading through intimidation and fear. Sendak’s message that even if you misbehave sometimes, there will be dinner waiting on the table is just great. Interpretations of unconditional love as well as that it is just not that good to be a king who has all the power over these wild creatures is my take on the story. And in the end Max still misses his home. Simply a subversive masterpiece.

And while doing a little more research I found this! However, this movie is a lot  different than the book with so much more story added.  Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjlpX7NRlT8

 



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