Maurice Sendak: His Legacy in Children's Literature

     When I was in elementary school, my music teacher taught us a memorable alphabet song that still today I remember and sometimes sing "Alligators all Around".  When teaching in elementary school, I decided to teach this song to my 3rd grade students which was challenged my a colleague who said it was a too complicated song.  My students did learn the song. As a surprise and unforgettable gift, they sang the song to me after I returned to their class after a week of absence due to other educational tasks.  The creator behind such unforgettable poem turned into a song is Maurice Sendak (1928-2012).
      Today, the world of literature lost an important contemporary author and illustrator whose works have been enjoyed by children of all ages and people from different generations.  He will always be remembered by his classic dark children's picture book Where the Wild Things Are published  in 1963. He was the author and illustrator of this winner of the Caldecott award in 1964.
     Before gaining international fame with this classic, Sendak had already illustrated books by other authors such as the Little Bear series written by Elsie Holmelund Minarik.  After obtaining the Caldecott award he offered to illustrate Zlateh the Goat written by Isaac Basheris Singer and published in translation in 1966. It won the Newbery award.
     Another contribution by this important author and illustrator was that he collaborated with the Children's Television Workshop when Sesame Street was being developed. 
     His books even though written for children has caused controversies with adults.  The illustrations of Where the Wild Things Are were not accepted by some parents because of their grotesque appearance.  In the Night Kitchen has been many times censored and challenged due to the illustrations where the boy protagonist appear in an illustration naked and explicitly illustrated.
    In addition to the Caldecott award he received in 1964, he also received the following awards:

• Hans Christian Anderson Award in 1970 for his illustrations.
• National Book Award in the category of picture books with the story Outside over There in 1982
• The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in 1983
• National Medal of Arts 1996
• Astrid Lindgren Mememorial Award in 2003.  This award was shared with Christine Nostlinger
• An elementary school in North Hollywood California is named after him.

Today, as I read this news, I looked back at the gift Sendak left for children around the world and that I have so much enjoyed.  As an educator, I have used Where the Wild Things Are with my Teacher Candidates at the University of Puerto Rico Humacao.  And now as a mother, I have seen how my daughter enjoys this tale fascinated by the monsters that live forever in Max's world.