Google doodle for Maurice Sendak

Google honours Maurice Sendak with an interesting interactive doodle today for what could have been his 85th birthday if he were still alive today, June 10.


Maurice Bernard Sendak (June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American illustrator and writer of children's books. He became widely known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, first published in 1963, one of the best-loved picture books of all time. The book had sold over 19 million copies worldwide as of 2009, with 10 million of those being in the United States. It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.

In case you are interested, here's the plot of the story:

A young boy named Max, after dressing in his wolf costume, wreaks havoc through his household and is disciplined by being sent to his bedroom. As he feels agitation with his mother, Max's bedroom undergoes a mysterious transformation into a jungle environment, and he winds up sailing to an island inhabited by malicious beasts known as the "Wild Things." After successfully intimidating the creatures, Max is hailed as the king of the Wild Things and enjoys a playful romp with his subjects; however, he decides to return home, to the Wild Things' dismay. After arriving in his bedroom, Max discovers a hot supper waiting for him.

Sendak's life must have been pretty awesome (understatement here) considering the number of awards and honors he received from his illustrious achievements - works of both literary and illustrations in nature.

Maurice Sendak drew inspiration and influences from a vast number of painters, musicians and authors. He has been quoted as saying, "My gods are Herman Melville, Emily Dickinson, Mozart. I believe in them with all my heart."

Move over to Wikipedia for more on Maurice Sendak.