Where The Wild Things Are

This story begins with a young boy named Max who is at home wearing his wolf suit terrorizing the dog, causing mischief of all kinds, and talking back to his mother. 

Eventually, his mom has had enough of his ruckus and sends him off to bed without supper. While in his room, Max’s imagination begins to transform his surroundings into a magical realm. 

In his state of fantasy Max boards a tiny little sailboat and crosses an ocean until he arrives at a jungle like land occupied by wild things. These wild things are horrifying and fierce but Max manages to tame them. Ultimately, all the wild things realize that Max is the wildest thing of them all and they crown him king of all wild things. 

Although they all enjoy a wild rumpus, Max soon realizes that he wants to be in a place where someone loves him most. Then against the wild things’ pleas Max sets sail on his way back home where his fantasy ends as he is aroused by the smell of his dinner waiting for him and it was still hot. 

Maurice Sendak combines his writing techniques with a deliberate artistic approach to create this award winning picture book. Very early on in the book Sendak “breaks the rules” by way of print features as he uses uppercase letters in mid sentence such as, “I’LL EAT YOU UP.” He also utilizes punctuationor lack there of in order to slow down the reader’s pace. This can be seen by the many phrases that are continued on the following page or by use of a hyphen as seen in “and grew-” Descriptive language is also a technique that is clearly visible in this author’s style by words such as tumbled, gnashed, terrible, and rumpus. Furthermore, Sendak combines his art with the text as he makes deliberate use of the page by diminishing the white space when Max’s inventiveness grows and grows. 

This is a wonderful story to use as a stepping stone for a creative lesson and it can also be used as a moral teaching moment. Respect is of utmost importance and all children should learn its value. In line with St. Leo's core value one can draw attention to the notion of respecting one's parents and elders. 

Reader Response Questions

1. What do you think happened to Max's room?

2. Why did Max leave the Island?

3. Which picture was your favorite and why?

Motivational Activities

1. The teacher can ask the students to do a quick write. This strategy builds fluency, reflection and allows the teacher to informally asses the students. Students can choose their stem from the following. 

*If I were king of the wild things I would...

*Something wilder than the wild things is/are...

*The last time I was sent to my room I...

*When I don't listen to the rules...

2. The teacher can conduct a writing workshop on identifying character traits. With a partner, students can analyze Max's behaviors, emotions or situations then write a sentence about one.  This can later be displayed in the classroom. 

Maurice Sendak  

(June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012)

Maurice was born to Jewish-Polish parents and was the youngest of three siblings. He learned about the concept of mortality very early in life due to losing extended members during the Holocaust. During an early childhood illness he became fond of books while he was confined to his bed. The Walt Disney film Fantasia further inspired to become an illustrator.

Where The Wild Things are was later depicted in a feature film. Click on the link to see the movie trailer. 

  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01-PqqifyjA&feature=kp

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper & Row.