ead it at the time, Sendak slept with the book, and still has it today.In 1947, at the age of nineteen, Sendak co-authored and published his first book, Atomics for the Millions. He began his illustrating career by drawing comic book pictures. In 1951, Sendak began freelance illustrating and writing.Sendak published Kenny’s Window in 1956. It is a story about a child who is curious about the world outside of his front door. Very Far Away, Sendak's second book published in 1957, is a story about a boy, with a new baby sibling, who must learn to cope with his sudden lack of attention. In 1960, he published a story about a girl that he knew while growing up. It was called The Sign on Rosie’s Door. Sendak published his first collection book, in four volumes, in 1962. This collection, called The Nutshell Library, contained Alligators All Around (alphabet book), Chicken Soup with Rice (rhyming book about months of year), One was Johnny (counting book), and Pierre (tale). It was printed on small books that explained the name “nutshell.” Years later, this series became the focus of a movie, Really Rosie. With songs by Carole King, and illustrations by Maurice Sendak, Really Rosie, was a huge success.On May 6, of the following year, Sendak published his most famous book, Where the Wild Things Are. It is a story about a boy named Max who gets in trouble and is sent to his room without supper. He then travels to a magical land of wild things (huge scary monsters), who make him their king. Max eventually becomes tired of his new place and sails home, to find his supper waiting for him (and it is still hot). Sendak based the monsters in Where the Wild Things Are on his Jewish relatives, who would come to their house when he was growing up, with their foul breath and big, yellow teeth. He has also said that the title of the book was supposed to be “Where the Wild Horses are,” but he was not success...
