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Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a children's picture book originally published by Harper & Row which describes the imaginary adventures of a young boy named Max, who is angry after being sent to his room without supper. Max wears a distinctive wolf suit during his adventures and encounters various mythical creatures. The book is generally regarded as a classic of American illustrated children's literature.

Written in 1963, it was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1964. It also won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and was an ALA Notable Book.

Contents 1 Story 2 Reception 3 Background 4 Adaptations 5 Popular culture references 6 External links

The book tells the story of Max, who one evening plays around his home, "making mischief" in a wolf costume (chasing the dog with a fork, etc.) As punishment, his mother sends him to bed without supper. In his room, a mysterious, wild forest grows out of his imagination, and Max takes a journey to the land of the Wild Things. They are fearsome-looking monsters, but Max conquers them with a scary look and he is made the King of the Wild Things. However, he soon finds himself lonely and homesick, and he returns home to his bedroom. He finds his supper waiting for him ... "And it was still hot."

The book became a best seller. In the book The Art of Maurice Sendak the following is noted in a conversation between a mother and Sendak:

Mother: "Every time I read the book to my daughter, she screams."

Sendak: "Then why did you continue reading it to her when she does not like it?"

Mother: "She ought to, it's a Caldecott book."

Sendak mentioned that he thought that was ridiculous and "if a child does not like a book, throw it in the trash."

The original concept for the book featured horses instead of monsters.

The Wild Things (except "Goat Boy", of course) were named after (and are presumably caricatures of) Maurice's Uncles:^{[citation needed]}

Aaron

Bernard

Emil

Moishe

and Tzippy.

• The story also formed the basis of a children's opera of the same title by British composer Oliver Knussen. The first (incomplete) performance was in Brussels in 1980, with the first complete performance of the final version given by the Glyndebourne Touring Opera in London in 1984. This was followed the next year by its first U.S. performance in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
• A 1988 animated adaptation, directed by Gene Deitch, contains narration by Peter Schickele, who also composed the music.
• In 1997, composer Randall Woolf and Maurice Sendak created a ballet version for the American Repertory Ballet, which subsequently toured the United States. Woolf's version employs electric guitar, digital audio processing, and drumset.
• A Where the Wild Things Are themed children's play area was one of the original attractions at the San Francisco Metreon when the latter opened in 1999. It was located on the fourth floor of the complex, along with an In the Night Kitchen themed restaurant, but both closed sometime after July 2004. Someone's home video footage of this attraction can be seen on YouTube by going to this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n82LYmiNLDs.
• In 2004 Chicago company, Emerald City Theater Company produced a musical version of the book with appearances by other books by Sendak, Hector Protector and Very Far Away.
• A live-action movie version is currently filming, with Spike Jonze to direct, due in May 2008. Featuring Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini and Australian actor Angus Sampson.
• Cartoonist Greg Kerr inserted himself into Max's role and adapted the story in 3 comic strips. In Cur Comix published in the Ottawa XPress in 2002.
• A courtyard garden inspired by the book Where the Wild Things Are will feature at the 2007 RHS Chelsea Flower Show - http://www.cafgivinggarden.org

• Released in October 2000, McFarlane Toys released a toy line based on the beloved children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. McFarlane Toys worked closely with Sendak to create a series of seven characters (Max, Goat Boy, Aaron, Bernard, Emil, Moishe, and Tzippy) straight from the pages of the book. These three-dimensional, highly detailed action figures have a brilliant likeness to their two-dimensional inspirations.

• The song "Where the Wild Things Are" by Metallica is based on the book.

• The song "Where the Wild Things Are" by Chenard Walcker is based on the book.

• Bell Atlantic commercials used to feature details from the book.

• The Simpsons episode "The Girl Who Slept Too Little" includes a parody of the book, entitled The Land of Wild Beasts.

• In its fourth season Buffy the Vampire Slayer had an episode entitled "Where the Wild Things Are".

• In the lyrics of the song "(Even) More Human Than Human" by the X-ecutioners.

• The album When We Were Young by electronic group Dusted, is heavily inspired by the themes of Maurice Sendak's book; the music video accompanying the single Always Remember to Respect Your Mother, Pt. 1 is a visual homage to the illustrations and story of Where the Wild Things Are.

• One of the wild things made a cameo appearance in the Drawn Together episode "The Lemon-AIDS Walk".

• Eduardo of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends resembles the beasts of Where the Wild Things Are.

• The cover of the book can be seen in an early scene of Labyrinth.

• In The Family Stone, Ben (Luke Wilson) makes the comment, "'And now,' cried Max, 'let the wild rumpus start!'"

• In the lyrics of "Babies with Guns" by Aesop Rock, "I walk face first through the sex, drugs, and church with wild things that make Maurice Sendak question his early works."

• "Stories From The Bar" by UK rock act Infadels, is based on the story.

• The creation of the book and a page by page analysis. Original dummy copies.
• Where the Wild Things Are at the Internet Movie Database
• The "Where the Wild Things Are" attraction at the Sony Metreon, July 23, 2004. A six-part video on YouTube.
• Greg Kerr's Comic Adaptation.

Preceded by The Snowy Day

Caldecott Medal recipient 1964

Succeeded by May I Bring a Friend?