Remembering Maurice Sendak
Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of numerous books including Where the Wild Things Are, died today. I remember when I was in library school in the early 1980’s being told that some libraries drew a diaper on the little boy in his book, In the Night Kitchen. This controversial book is 25th on the ALA list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Boooks, 1990-2000. In today’s Access Atlanta article, “Where Wild Things Are’ author Maurice Sendak dies” the author is quoted as saying that our country is different today, but he would have never considered revising one of his works. Mr. Sendak had no children, but many think his inspiration for his characters came from his brothers and sisters. Most of the works written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak can be found in the Carl and Gretchen Patton Children’s collection on the first floor of Library North, but the library also has books about his illustrations such as The Art of Maurice Sendak shelved with the art books on Library North third floor. Maurice Sendak will be missed by many.