His love of books began when, as a child, he developed health problems and was confined to his bed. Sendak described his childhood as a 'terrible situation' due to the death of members of his extended family during the Holocaust which exposed him at a young age to the concept of mortality. Sendak was born in Brooklyn, New York to Polish Jewish immigrant parents named Sadie (née Schindler) and Philip Sendak, a dressmaker. Sendak also wrote works such as In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, and illustrated many works by other authors including the Little Bear books by Else Holmelund Minarik. Born to Jewish-Polish parents, his childhood was affected by the death of many of his family members during the Holocaust. He became widely known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, first published in 1963. He collaborated with such celebrated authors as Meindert DeJong, Tony Kushner, Randall Jarrell, Ruth Krauss, Else Holmelund Minarik and Isaac Bashevis Singer, and he illustrated classics by the Brothers Grimm, Melville and Tolstoy.Maurice Bernard Sendak (/ˈsɛndæk/ J– May 8, 2012) was an American illustrator and writer of children's books. A largely self-taught artist, Sendak wrote and illustrated over 150 books during his 60-year career, including Kenny’s Window, Very Far Away, The Sign on Rosie’s Door, Nutshell Library (consisting of Chicken Soup with Rice, Alligators All Around, One Was Johnny and Pierre), Higglety Pigglety Pop!, Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen and Outside Over There. Maurice Sendak (1928–2012) was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland.

It also includes interviews and appreciations by many of Sendak’s key collaborators, including Carroll Ballard, Michael Di Capua, John Dugdale, Spike Jonze, Twyla Tharp and Arthur Yorinks. It features previously unpublished sketches, story boards and paintings that emphasize Sendak’s creative processes.īringing together a broad diversity of perspectives on the award-winning artist, the book includes an extended essay by the renowned art historian Thomas Crow that traces the genesis and cultural contexts of Sendak’s most famous book, Where the Wild Things Are.

Published in conjunction with the eponymous Sendak retrospective touring museums in the United States and Europe in 2022–24, Wild Things Are Happening emphasizes Maurice Sendak’s relationship to the history of art and the influences of his art collecting on his images.

Where the wild things are painting