Farewell, Maurice Sendak (1928-2012)
May 08, 2012
I was so sorry to hear this news this morning. The New York Times and other news outlets are reporting the death of Maurice Sendak, "widely considered the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century," as Margalit Fox writes in an obituary. NPR's "Fresh Air" will be devoting today's show to him.
What's your favorite Sendak book? Mine is Swine Lake, a collaboration with James Marshall, about a wolf and a pig ballet and the power of art.
I love them all, really. Wild Things, of course! But I am particularly partial to Ruth Krauss' A Hole is to Dig, for which he did the illustrations.
Posted by: Michelle | May 08, 2012 at 01:58 PM
I think In the Night Kitchen, partly because it was the first book my son ever really read himself, and partly because I find it delightfully weird. But I also adore his illustrations in an edition of Macdonald's the Light Princess I picked u a few years ago- they're so perfect and complete.
Posted by: Stephanie | May 08, 2012 at 02:20 PM
So many books! What a career. I do like Pierre, too. Michelle and Stephanie, did you listen to Fresh Air today? Fabulous excerpts from four conversations that Terry Gross and Sendak had. I was almost in tears at the end.
Posted by: Susan | May 08, 2012 at 05:13 PM
No, I didn't hear Fresh Air. I'll look for the podcast. I did adore the recent Colbert stuff.
Posted by: Michelle | May 09, 2012 at 03:40 PM
RIP... he was a great writer, and will be missed.
Posted by: Jon | June 08, 2012 at 12:51 AM