Where the Wild Things Are is a children's book published in 1963 and written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. When it was initially released, it was met with mixed reviews for its honest portrayal of child anger. Some critics argued it would traumatize children; others commended Sendak for addressing the subject head-on and for celebrating children's imagination. Over the years, the story became known as groundbreaking, and children and adults alike were captivated by the story. In 1964, it won the Caldecott Medal, an annual prize awarded “to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.” As of 2009, the book had more than 19 million copies in print around the world.
Where the Wild Things Are was adapted into an animated short in 1974 and a 1980 opera, which Sendak helped to create. In 2009, it was adapted into a film of the same name, directed by Spike Jonze who co-wrote the script with Dave Eggers.
Despite the book's incredible popularity, Sendak refused to craft a sequel, telling comedian Stephen Colbert in 2012, just four months before his death, that the book would be "the most boring idea imaginable."
