Maurice Sendak

While driving to work this morning I heard the news that Maurice Sendak passed away.  What a loss to the world of literature.  I want to write "children's literature", but according to him he didn't write for children.  The radio station I was listening to played an excerpt from a recent interview with Maurice Sendak from Stephen Colbert.  In it, Mr. Sendak said that he didn't write for children.  He wrote stories and then people would say, "That's for children!"  When asked what he thought of the current state of children's literature he called it "abysmal".  Apparently he was a funny guy.  I believe it.  Who could have thought up characters like Max from Where The Wild Things Are or Mickey from In The Night Kitchen?  They are two of the most stubborn, brattiest, and inventive boys we've seen in books.  Well, Mr. Sendak certainly made his mark and now I hope he is able to rest in peace.