Where the Wild Things Are (Paperback)

~ (Author, Illustrator) "The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him "WILD THING!..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Where the Wild Things Are is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. If you disagree, then it's been too long since you've attended a wild rumpus. Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper. Fortuitously, a forest grows in his room, allowing his wild rampage to continue unimpaired. Sendak's color illustrations (perhaps his finest) are beautiful, and each turn of the page brings the discovery of a new wonder.

The wild things--with their mismatched parts and giant eyes--manage somehow to be scary-looking without ever really being scary; at times they're downright hilarious. Sendak's defiantly run-on sentences--one of his trademarks--lend the perfect touch of stream of consciousness to the tale, which floats between the land of dreams and a child's imagination.

This Sendak classic is more fun than you've ever had in a wolf suit, and it manages to reaffirm the notion that there's no place like home.

Review

"Each word has been carefully chosen and the simplicity of the language is quite deceptive." -- -- SLJ.

"The clearer reproductions of the original art are vibrant and luminous [in this edition]." -- -- H.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (November 9, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064431789
• ISBN-13: 978-0064431781
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (451 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,399 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #4 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( S ) > Sendak, Maurice
  #4 in	Books > Children's Books > Literature > Classics by Age > Ages 4-8
  #19 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Family Life > Parents > Fiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Story for the Ages, December 12, 1999

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Where the Wild Things Are (Hardcover)

My two sons absolutely loved this book. They liked the idea of going 'where the wild things are' and the book inspired a lot of play in our house. The book nicely balances the child's need for imaginative thinking with a sense of limits, and the pleasures of home. The illustrations clearly make this book great, because they provide a launch pad for this imaginary place. This is one of a handful of books that will bond you with your child for the rest of your lives. Don't miss that opportunity!

Unlike some children's books which are a little boring for the adults to read after the 350th time, I always enjoyed this one because I could think new thoughts each time I read it.

I think this is one of the best five books for children.

40 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, December 5, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Where the Wild Things Are (Hardcover)

This is a story of a very bad boy's day of imaginative roll playing and final acceptance of his place in the real world. I love reading it to my little siblings and watching as their little faces lit up in recognition of adventures they had endured during their own periods of bad behavior... Check it out and get it for your brother or your listtle sister. Another MUST HAVE for older kids is the series Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2 by Nowiki. Very captivating and touching stories showing the world with cats eyes

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside The Mind Of A Child, November 30, 1999

By	Lisa Forrest (Sunman, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Where the Wild Things Are (Hardcover)

My mother first bought this book for my oldest son. It has endured as a beloved favorite to all three of my boys. I think that children can really identify with Max and his thoughts. When he is sent to his room for misbehavior, his imagination helps him to run away to where the wild things are and collect his thoughts. I believe that the author must remember what its like to be a child and feel like no one understands, and not quite understanding yourself. Ruling the wild things helps Max understand that he just wants to feel loved, and helps parents to keep in mind that such outbursts from children are generally cries for attention--for someone to love them best of all. Mr. Sendak understands children! When you read this book it will transport you back to your own childhood and you will remember that lost feeling of being a child. Bravo, Maurice! You are my hero!