Origins & Early Life

Maurice Bernard Sendak (; June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. Born to Polish-Jewish parents, his childhood was impacted by the death of many of his family members during the Holocaust. Sendak illustrated his own books as well as those by other authors, such as the Little Bear series by Else Holmelund Minarik. He achieved acclaim with Where the Wild Things Are (1963), the first of a trilogy followed by In the Night Kitchen (1970) and Outside Over There (1981).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He also designed sets for operas, notably Mozart's The Magic Flute. In 1987, Sendak was the subject of an American Masters documentary, "Mon Cher Papa". In 1996, he received the National Medal of Arts. Per Margalit Fox, Sendak, "the most important children's book artist of the 20th century", "wrenched the picture book out of the safe, sanitized world of the nursery and plunged it into the dark, terrifying and hauntingly beautiful recesses of the human psyche." His career was chronicled in Lance Bangs's Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak (2009). Sendak was born on June 10, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish-Jewish immigrants Sadie...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Alfred F. Young — Contemporary (Died in 2012) (2012): Pioneering American historian of the Revolution and working-class social history.
• Blue Ivy Carter — Contemporary (Born in 2012) (2012): American singer, actress, and dancer, daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
• Adolph Zukor — Shared historical date (06-10 · Died) (1976): Pioneering Hungarian-American film producer, co-founder of Paramount Pictures.
• André-Marie Ampère — Shared historical date (06-10 · Died) (1836): Founder of classical electromagnetism; inventor of the solenoid and electrical telegraph.
• 6ix9ine — Shared historical date (05-08 · Born) (1996): American rapper known for aggressive style and controversial public persona.
• David Attenborough — Shared historical date (05-08 · Born) (1926): Pioneering natural historian and broadcaster championing global biodiversity.
• 1928 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1928
• June 10 (06-10) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 10
• 2012 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2012
• May 8 (05-08) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 8