Where the Wild Things Are

‘Where the Wild Things Are’ was my absolute favorite childhood book, along with ‘The Giving Tree’ and ‘Goodnight Moon’. It’s also my all-time favorite movie. After Maurice Sendak died it really hit me just how big of a role this story has played in my life so far. I had my parents read it to me every night for years when I was younger. I would pretend to be Max and set up my stuffed animals to be my very own Wild Things. I would dream of daring adventures and I can blame this book for many of my injuries over the years. There’s just something so magical about it and it really played a big part in why I’m as creative and open minded as I am today. I watched it again for the 1,000th time the other night and I just felt like sharing my favorite quotes.

“I hate this tree.” - Alexander

“Happiness isn’t always the best way to be happy.”- Judith

“We were gonna make a whole world like this. Now, everyone used to come here, but you know… you know what it feels like when all your teeth are falling out really slowly and you don’t realize and then you notice that, well, they’re really far apart. And then one day… you don’t have any teeth anymore? Well, it was like that.”- Carol

“Will you keep out all the sadness?”- Douglas

“Who threw Richard?!”- Carol

“Don’t go. I’ll eat you up; I love you so.”- KW (My absolute favorite)

“And on our way… I can show you your kingdom. This is all yours. You’re the owner of this world. Everything you see is yours. Oh, except that hole over there, that’s Ira’s. The tree’s yours, but the hole is Ira’s. But everything else is yours. Except for that rock over there, that’s not yours. That little rock next to the big rock. But everything else in the kingdom… except for that stick. That little stick right there, that’s not yours. I want you to be king forever, Max.”- Carol

This is a book I’m going to read to my children every night. I want them to grow up with the same imagination I did. I want them to believe they can be kings and hang out with Wild Things. I want them to believe anything is possible. I want them to block out all the bad stuff. I want them to dream. I really do owe a lot to Maurice Sendak.