Barnes & Noble Staff
Max is being so terrible that his mother sends him to his room without supper. But Max doesn't care -- he sails off to the land of the Wild Things, and they make him his king. There, Max can be as terrible as he pleases, and the Wild Things join in the rumpus. Finally, Max is tired of being wild, and yearns to go home. Marvelous pictures and the superb story combine to make this a quintessential picture book. In it, readers will recognize their own wild side.
SLJ
Each word has been carefully chosen and the simplicity of the language is quite deceptive.
Children's Literature - Mary Quattlebaum
Sendak presents an image of children not as sentimentalized little dears but as people coping with complex emotions such as anger, fear, frustration, wonder, and awareness of their own vulnerability. Max feels anger at his mother, acts out his aggression in a fantasy land as he becomes "king" of his wild and ungovernable forces, and returns hungry, sleepy, and peaceful to the real world, where his porridge is still hot. This is a well-earned and reassuring happy ending for all children wrestling with human nature's darker emotions. It is also available in Spanish.
Brightly
A timeless classic that continues to win over the hearts of children. The simple, rhythmic text and expressive illustrations are just as appealing today as they were when I was a child.” 10 Must-Have Books for 2-Year-Olds
SLJ.
Each word has been carefully chosen and the simplicity of the language is quite deceptive.
H.
The clearer reproductions of the original art are vibrant and luminous.
Seven Foot Monster
A timeless classic that continues to win over the hearts of children. The simple, rhythmic text and expressive illustrations are just as appealing today as they were when I was a child.” 10 Must-Have Books for 2-Year-Olds