Old MemoriesNovember 5, 2008 I purchased this book for my best friend who is having a boy come this December. I did so because I remember so many good memories when my parents read it to me as a child that I wanted him to share those kinds of memories with his son. Despite other reviews of saying this book is "pointless" or "dark and scary", we the reader don't always need to put on our critical, psychoanalytical, or marxist lens and analyse the books we read our children. Doesn't that take the magic out of books like this? Moreover, this book is about fun monsters and the imaginary lands that children go to when they are asleep or playing in our back yards. This book is a must for any child who is learning to or not quite yet ready to read. Furthermore, the images in this book are stunning and should captivate young audiences.
Imaginative and Amazing IllustrationsOctober 15, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The illustrations in this book really caught my eye. My favorite one was when all the wild things were howling at the moon. I enjoyed how the text stretches over a few pages and keeps the reader interested.
The BESTOctober 7, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Where the Wild Things Are I purchase this book for my two year old grandson, he loves to hear his poppa read it to him. It is the only way I have found to get a two year old grandchild to set still for about 15 minutes.
Love the book remember it from when I was a child.
Forgiveness without remorseOctober 5, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Briefly, the story revolves around Max, a young boy who behaves naughtily and is sent to bed without supper. In his room, he is transported to another world "where the wild things are" where he is made king of the wild things. After having his fill of leading the wild things, he returns to his room to find his supper left on his dresser.
This story strikes an interesting balance between the real world of Max and his family and Max's dream world "where the wild things are". Whereas in the former world his actions are seen as naughty and are decried, the dream world provides Max not only with the ability to act in the way he wants but also to have those actions sanctioned and praised by those around him.
Beyond that, even, is the amount of control Max can exert in each world. The real world limits him and he is almost totally at the mercy of his parents who send him to his room. In the wild world, even before he becomes king of the wild things, he is able to control the other wild things and his power is unlimited. An interesting question to ask is whether Max would be as naughty as he is if he believed himself to have more power in the real world.
The conclusion of the story seems to come mostly as the author stumbles over himself to wrap up the story. It is unclear why the angry parents would reward Max's behavior or why they would negate the punishment meted out at the beginning of the story. I found the warm supper waiting for Max upon his return from the wild world to be somewhat out of place. I understand, perhaps, that even bad kids are loved and that may be the moral being taught here, but it is strange that Max just receives the food out of the blue with no remorse on his part.
The book is a fun story and holds the attention of my 3 year old. He loves when I improvise the roaring and gnashing. Throwing in a little Troggs "Wild Thing" during the rumpus makes story time a little bit more fun too. I don't think the strange lesson at the end ruins the story, and I'm not sure that the target audience of this book would be able to figure it out in the first place. 4 stars for a fun book that holds kids' attentions.
Look into the mind of a childOctober 5, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I just read this the other day to my first grade class, and it turns out I had forgotten just how gorgeous this book is!
It's the story of a boy named Max who imagines himself to another world: an island dominated by monsters, aka "wild things". No, it's not freakishly complex, but it is a kids' story.
It tells of one of the most important things we have: the power of imagination.
