Happy 80th birthday, Maurice Sendak!Why do I love him so? Well, Where the Wild Things Are, of course, but also for Rosie and Little Bear and Chicken Soup.
Because In the Night Kitchen has been one of the most frequently banned books in America (along with my all-time favorites To Kill a Mockingbird, Are you There God? It's Me, Margaret, The Giver, The Color Purple and A Light in the Attic. Pretty good company, if you ask me.) If you were going to jump into a vat of cake batter, wouldn't you take your clothes off first?
But mostly because he cares so much for children, and wants good literature, theater and television for them. When Wild Things was criticized for being too intense and frightening for kids, he said, “I thought my career was over, but the kids saved me. They loved the books because they are not afraid of life.” Cool.
Peace, and chicken soup for everybody.
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