Jon and Mac consider: annoying Sendak quotes, Mac's high-school bully, gutter talk, a photo of Maurice looking good in a white tee, ambiguity, repression, and grace
My boys and I always enjoyed observing the slight changes you two made to the environment upon Sam & Dave’s “return” from digging their hole… the subtle changes in cat collar color, in flowers, and in weather vane animals indicate that they didn’t entirely arrive back to their original place of departure… it wasn’t a dream… things have changed…
I had noticed the dinner on the last picture in Wild Things, and the change of bedroom perspective/ size, but I never noticed the difference in the moon!
I love this conversation. I've wondered if the changing phase of the moon suggested that the tantrums and journeys happened multiple times, but always resulted in the grace of the warm dinner.
I loved this deep dive so much. I've been thinking about that moon all day, how it leaves open this space for this magical unresolved gap between "the reality of the words and the reality of the pictures." It both is the same day and is many months later, a discrepancy that acts as a crack through which possibility can enter. It sort of brings to mind the subtle changes in the scenery on the last spread of Sam and Dave dig a hole.
Love this!! I run a “Picture Book Club” over on my Substack, where we meet monthly and discuss a picture book, and for my very first meet up I chose WTWTA! My copy is also from my childhood, and I probably chose for similar reasons. That book looks large for me, it felt Important (deliberate caps!) in the same way that E.T was am Important film. Or maybe the word is special. Anyway, I get it! I love it. Such a perfect book. But why is it that Maurice’s books make you feel funny? Still a question I have no answer for! So excited for this Substack. Great first post!
Great study. I really enjoyed it! I still have my childhood copy of this book, and I have never thought critically about the design — the book was just great because it has always been great. Also, honestly, it has been more of a treasured possession than an actual book that I read to my kids, which is a shame. I’m going to read it to them tonight and point out everything you shared.
I’ve read this book, and discussed this book with children, countless times. And after reading this, I feel like I missed so much. The moon! The grace. Max’s face. Wow.
Whoa, I’ve read this book many times but looking so closely at Max’s downtrodden face made me well up with emotion! Looking forward to reading more from you both.
I've read this book countless times to my daughters and students over the years, but having you point out Max's mother in Max's face hit me hard. I'm sure I was Max in my childhood, but am more haunted by the times I was Max's mother, and that distant look of am I doing this right? (parenting) and can I make it better? (and my daughters are nearly 30). That face captures it all, and I never saw it before.
Do you think Sendak was being deliberate, or was it just a natural telling and we just *see* so many critical choices? I remember when he told Colbert that he didn't write for children, other people said his books were for children. Jason Reynolds, in a later Colbert interview, contradicted that perspective - calling writing for children "a task of intention . . . because who deserves our intention more than children." I agree.
Hey you guys, to further your theory about the transformational quality of the moment when Max becomes his mother by sending the Wild Things to bed without their supper, check out its similarity in palette, mood, and (a little bit) composition to Piero della Francesca's Dream of Constantine fresco in Arezzo. To me, it's remarkable. Annie
This was so excellent! Thank you! I spent a lot of time with this book as a kid, too. I even had a stuffed Wild Thing (the one with the blueish fur and human feet...I named him Kenny).
I remember getting so bothered by the part where Max gets lonely and wants to be where someone loves him best of all. These Wild Things were worshipping him (look at the page right before)! And why would he take away their supper, too!? I thought Max was a jerk on that spread.
My God, the moon! I truly never noticed in hundreds of readings.
That blew me away too - never once did I notice! Amazing detail. 😮
My boys and I always enjoyed observing the slight changes you two made to the environment upon Sam & Dave’s “return” from digging their hole… the subtle changes in cat collar color, in flowers, and in weather vane animals indicate that they didn’t entirely arrive back to their original place of departure… it wasn’t a dream… things have changed…
I had noticed the dinner on the last picture in Wild Things, and the change of bedroom perspective/ size, but I never noticed the difference in the moon!
This was a really lovely read.
I look forward to more!
Boys, this was a delight. <3
I love this conversation. I've wondered if the changing phase of the moon suggested that the tantrums and journeys happened multiple times, but always resulted in the grace of the warm dinner.
Beautiful.
And how have I never seen that
coat-hangered teddy bear????
I loved this deep dive so much. I've been thinking about that moon all day, how it leaves open this space for this magical unresolved gap between "the reality of the words and the reality of the pictures." It both is the same day and is many months later, a discrepancy that acts as a crack through which possibility can enter. It sort of brings to mind the subtle changes in the scenery on the last spread of Sam and Dave dig a hole.
Have things evolved, and I'm now apart of MBCS+Jon for adults? I'm here for it.
Me too!!
Hi friend!
💛💛💛
Love this!! I run a “Picture Book Club” over on my Substack, where we meet monthly and discuss a picture book, and for my very first meet up I chose WTWTA! My copy is also from my childhood, and I probably chose for similar reasons. That book looks large for me, it felt Important (deliberate caps!) in the same way that E.T was am Important film. Or maybe the word is special. Anyway, I get it! I love it. Such a perfect book. But why is it that Maurice’s books make you feel funny? Still a question I have no answer for! So excited for this Substack. Great first post!
The book “loomed” large. Not looked large! Haha! Although it was quite large for a child!
Genius - the book and the inspiration of Mac and Jon to create this engaging (and oh so smart) way of looking at picture books! I already want more.
Great study. I really enjoyed it! I still have my childhood copy of this book, and I have never thought critically about the design — the book was just great because it has always been great. Also, honestly, it has been more of a treasured possession than an actual book that I read to my kids, which is a shame. I’m going to read it to them tonight and point out everything you shared.
that "state of grace" is what is painfully human about their relationship... I think kids know that. I think they need it too.
I’ve read this book, and discussed this book with children, countless times. And after reading this, I feel like I missed so much. The moon! The grace. Max’s face. Wow.
Whoa, I’ve read this book many times but looking so closely at Max’s downtrodden face made me well up with emotion! Looking forward to reading more from you both.
Me too!
I've read this book countless times to my daughters and students over the years, but having you point out Max's mother in Max's face hit me hard. I'm sure I was Max in my childhood, but am more haunted by the times I was Max's mother, and that distant look of am I doing this right? (parenting) and can I make it better? (and my daughters are nearly 30). That face captures it all, and I never saw it before.
Do you think Sendak was being deliberate, or was it just a natural telling and we just *see* so many critical choices? I remember when he told Colbert that he didn't write for children, other people said his books were for children. Jason Reynolds, in a later Colbert interview, contradicted that perspective - calling writing for children "a task of intention . . . because who deserves our intention more than children." I agree.
Hey you guys, to further your theory about the transformational quality of the moment when Max becomes his mother by sending the Wild Things to bed without their supper, check out its similarity in palette, mood, and (a little bit) composition to Piero della Francesca's Dream of Constantine fresco in Arezzo. To me, it's remarkable. Annie
This was so excellent! Thank you! I spent a lot of time with this book as a kid, too. I even had a stuffed Wild Thing (the one with the blueish fur and human feet...I named him Kenny).
I remember getting so bothered by the part where Max gets lonely and wants to be where someone loves him best of all. These Wild Things were worshipping him (look at the page right before)! And why would he take away their supper, too!? I thought Max was a jerk on that spread.