My boy has two loves in life: football, and books. Having a son after two little girls has been, and continues to be, a learning experience. Everything is physical, energetic. He doesn’t know how to slow down when he’s tired. He has to eat with one foot on the floor so that he’s always ready to be on the go again. He’s very rarely quiet, or still, or full enough after a meal to not need a snack soon afterwards. He is, however, a joy and a delight with a cheeky grin and he still loves to have a cuddle while sucking his thumb
But give him a book and he’ll be lost in it, reading avidly. It took us a bit by surprise and it started with Mr Men books, where you could give him a Mr Man and he’d tell you what number of book it was. At the moment he loves the humour and hilarity of Andy Stanton’s ‘Mr Gum’ series.
And this book, ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ by Maurice Sendak, is a family favourite. My sister made the boy a birthday present of this brilliant wolf costume like Max wears in the story, and he loves to wear it because it feels as soft as a comfort blanket. I’ve also discovered that he rather enjoys getting into character, as you can see…
Over the last month or so while we’ve been out and about taking various photos in the Max outfit, Maurice Sendak died. There were radio pieces and television articles about whether WTWTA is the best bedtime story ever written. It understands the frustrations of an energetic child who wants to charge about and not be treated as the ‘little kid’, who knows what it is to feel lonely at times, who discovers that it’s good to be “where someone loved him best of all”… Written in 1963, instantly recognisable illustrations, 10 sentences long, it’s such a well-loved book and very, very clever.
Thank you, Mr Sendak. You delighted and inspired us.
by JulieAnne
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