Where the Wild Things Are is an illustrated children’s picture book about anger, imagination and the need to feel loved even after conflict. Max, dressed in his wolf suit, creates mischief at home and is sent to bed without supper, but his bedroom soon grows into a forest and carries him across the sea to a distant land inhabited by enormous Wild Things. Rather than being frightened, Max confronts the creatures, becomes their king and leads them in a wild celebration that gives shape to his frustration and desire for freedom. Maurice Sendak’s expressive illustrations gradually expand across the pages as Max enters more deeply into his imagined world, while the spare text leaves room for children to recognise strong emotions without judging or suppressing them. The story explores independence, emotional self-regulation and the reassuring bond between a child and home, leaving Max to decide whether ruling the Wild Things can provide what he truly longs for.
Author: Maurice Sendak
Publisher: Harper & Row
Year published: 1988
Number of pages: 40 unnumbered pages
Target age: 4–8