Let the wild rumpus start!  With those words, many generations of readers fell in love with the children's books Maurice Sendak wrote.  His most popular story, Where the Wild Things Are, has been translated into dozens of languages, made into a motion picture, and even read by President Obama at the White House Easter Egg Roll.  On May 8, the world lost this innovative author, but his works will live on.

Maurice Sendak didn't plan on writing children's books initially, but he found kids to be very interesting.  Maurice found that children aren't as delicate and fragile as many of the adults pegged them to be.  He thought they could handle darker, more disturbing stories and because of that, his books weren't all fluffy kitties and rainbows.  Maurice once said, "from their earliest years, children live on familiar terms with disrupting emotions — fear and anxiety are an intrinsic part of their everyday lives, they continually cope with frustrations as best they can.  And it is through fantasy that children achieve catharsis. It is the best means they have for taming wild things."

His other books caused controversy too.  In The Night Kitchen featured a male child protagonist who appears naked - and anatomically correct.  Even so, his books are cherished by many generations and will continue to hold a place on children's bookshelves for years to come.

What's your favorite Maurice Sendak book?  Any favorite memories associated with his works?