Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak (1928-2012) was an American illustrator and writer who revolutionized children's literature with his unflinching portrayals of childhood emotion. Born in Brooklyn to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents, Sendak grew up drawing obsessively and cited Walt Disney's Fantasia and his own sickly childhood as formative influences. He began his career illustrating other writers' books before publishing Kenny's Window in 1956, launching a career that would produce some of the most celebrated picture books in history. This author hub collects 1 work in the Canon Compass ranking, led by Where the Wild Things Are.