Maurice Sendak
1928-2012
I just found out that children’s author Maurice Sendak died way back in May at the age of 83. Somehow this totally passed me by when it happened, but when I found out this morning, I had a pretty emotional response, so I thought I would write down my thoughts on the subject. Although he wrote or illustrated over a hundred books in his lifetime, for most of us his most memorable book will always be Where the Wild Things Are. There was something about that world of wild imagination that changed the children’s book forever. As a child, I read about Max and his pack of monsters too many times to count. The idea of sailing from my bedroom to a distant island was fascinating, and the Sendak illustrations were perfect for the concept. My wife has told me that as a child she would look out into the living room at night sometimes, and would swear that she could see the Wild Things dancing. The best part of that book, though, may have been the ending, and that realization that it’s awfully nice to be able to come back to your safe little life at the end of such outrageous imaginings.
So here’s to an amazing writer and illustrater. His Wild Rumpus will never end, as he continues to inspire countless generations of children on into the future.
Pulling Down Books 
I was surprised by the number of editorial cartoonists who chose to commemorate his life in May. It was, as you say, a great loss.