Where the Wild Things Are 
by Maurice Sendak

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the Wild Things Are. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Clad in his wolf suit, Max is enjoying causing mischief until his mother has had enough and sends him to his room without supper.  As Max sits alone in his room, we begin to see into his imagination as his room begins to transform first into a forest, then an open ocean and finally into the land of the terrible wild things.  Rather than being afraid, Max tames the wild beast, is made their king and leads them on a wild rumpus through the forest.  As the fun comes to an end and the sun begins to set, loneliness sets in and Max realizes that even wild things need love.  He decides to journey back across the ocean to his home where his supper is waiting for him, still hot.

Evaluation Criteria: Setting

Through his illustrations, Sendak establishes the settings, most notably the land of the wild things, which are essential to the story.  From Max’s bedroom, into the boat sailing across the seas, to a magical world filled with terrible wild things and back home again, the images transport us from the outside directly into Max’s vivid imagination.

Visual Element: Composition

Sendak uses line, color, shape and texture to bring this story to life and reflect Max’s plethora of emotions as he goes from feeling anger, to excitement, to sadness and finally happiness.  These elements working together make us feel as if we are there traveling along with Max on his journey through the forest, across the ocean and enjoying a wild rumpus with the wild things. The features of the wild things such as their feathers, scales, fur and claws give each one a distinctive look and personality all their own.

Book Trailer for Where the Wild Things Are

Lesson Plans for Where the Wild Things Are