“Where Wild Things Are” Author Maurice Sendak Dies

Maurice Sendak died this morning due to complications from a recent stroke. The New York Times says he was “widely considered the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century.” He wrote and illustrated dozens of books over the years, though he will always be remembered for his 1963 classic Where the Wild Things Are, which was also adapted into a 2009 feature film by Spike Jonze. Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski also directed an impressive 2010 NFB short based on another Sendak book, Higglety Pigglety Pop! Or: There Must Be More to Life.

Last January, Sendak did a hilarious interview with Stephen Colbert. If you haven’t seen it yet, take the time to view it today. It celebrates Sendak’s sharp and playful personality better than any words could.