Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak, plays with the
word "wild." Wild describes behavior. We meet Max acting like a wild
thing within claustrophobic indoor spaces. Wild also describes place. Max
imagines a natural habitat for himself, a wild outdoors of forest and ocean.
And wild also describes creatures that live in nature. Dressed as a wolf, Max
discovers a land of fantastic wild creatures with terrible roars and terrible
teeth. Then Max shows us how to confront wild things head on. He stares into
all their yellow eyes. How fun it is to romp in the wild with the wild things!
Yet, Max only wears a costume. Beneath the costume is a little boy with a
forgiving mother and loving home. This masterpiece of only twelve sentences
still speaks to young children who experience both a wild imagination and the security
of home.
