May 8, 2012

Maurice Sendak, Children's Book Genius

The word "genius" should not be bandied about too freely, but it certainly can be used to describe the immense contributions of Maurice Sendak to the world of children's literature. Sendak passed away May 8, 2012.
Born in 1928 to Polish Jewish immigrants, Sendak's childhood was shaped by the external forces of the Depression, World War II and the loss of much family in the Holocaust, and his own struggles with illness.
Sendak captured in his art and writing the knife's edge---the fears and delights that terrify and tantalize. His works are archived at the Rosenbach Museum in Philadelphia. Sendak can be heard interviewed by Terri Gross on NPR's Fresh Air.


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