A selection of classic children's picture books on a bright yellow background

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Children's reading lists

The best classic children’s picture books

Hector Protector

Two nursery rhymes joyfully retold by the creator of Where The Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak was born in Brooklyn, New York. He began by illustrating other authors' books for children, but the first book that he both wrote and illustrated was Kenny's Window, published in 1956. In his lifetime, he illustrated over 80 books, and received many awards, including the 1964 Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are. In 1970 he was the first American to win the Hans Christian Andersen Illustrator's Medal. He passed away in May 2012.

Join Maurice Sendak in his mischievous retellings of Hector Protector and As I Went Over The Water. 
 
This hilarious little book is packed with the charm and humour of the great Maurice Sendak, creator of Where The Wild Things Are. 
 
The perfect bedtime story for little ones.

or There Must Be More to Life

Higglety Pigglety Pop!

A wonderfully funny tale about a little dog with a big dream from the creator of Where The Wild Things Are.

Sendak is the daddy of them all when it comes to picture books - the words, the rhythm and the design are all wonderful.

If there is more to life than having everything, there, is also more to life than having nothing; Jennie's farewell letter to her old master is written from Castle Yonder. In synopsis, this sounds both more and less ambiguous than it is -- you can't compress the reverberations into a review, and certainly not the ominous illustrations; it may by-pass some adults because Sendak speaks directly to the elastic imagination of children.

A daring imagination has woven a simple rhyme into a brilliantly original tale about Jennie, the Sealyham terrier, who seeks Experience and becomes the star of the World Mother Goose Theatre.

Where The Wild Things Are

Book and CD

This best-selling classic now comes with an audio CD read by Tom Hollander.

The key to Sendak's success and to the continuing hipness of his book, is that it's hero is not a good child . . . the book is, in fact, extraordinarily childcentric, a book written for and about terrible infants, the kind of terrible infants that most children really are and that all adults remain for much of the time

This is my never-fail picture book. The text is very short, but utterly perfect, the illustrations are tremendous

Gripping, ingenious and uplifting . . . a shrewd, fierce, healing book

A timeless masterpiece. The illustrations, the fabulous monsters, the beautiful cross-hatching, and the surreal, dreamlike narrative beckons the reader to join the adventure. The themes are perfect for inspiring discussion on confronting life's scary things, mastering your fears and being brave, letting off steam, saying goodbye, and the comfort of returning home safe and sound

An almost-perfect picture book stuffed with mischief, magic and meaning . . . Has a haunting depth that makes bedtime reading thrilling, a little scary, but also empowering

Read-along with the story in this book and CD edition! 
 
One night Max puts on his wolf suit and makes mischief of one kind and another, so his mother calls him 'Wild Thing' and sends him to bed without his supper. 
 
That night a forest begins to grow in Max's room and an ocean rushes by with a boat to take Max to the place where the wild things are. Max tames the wild things and crowns himself as their king, and then the wild rumpus begins. 
 
But when Max has sent the monsters to bed, and everything is quiet, he starts to feel lonely and realises it is time to sail home to the place where someone loves him best of all.

The Sign On Rosie's Door

A hilarious and insightful celebration of the power of the imagination and the resourcefulness of childhood.

"If you want to know a secret, knock three times" 
 
Join the imaginative Rosie and her friends in this humourous and insightful celebration of the power of the imagination by the creator of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.

Outside Over There

From the author of Where the Wild Things Are, this is the third book in Sendak's famous Wild Things trilogy.

While Ida is busy playing her wonder horn, goblins come in through the window and kidnap her baby sister. If Ida is to save her, she must follow the goblins into the outside over there and use her wonder music to defeat them . . .

In The Night Kitchen

From the author of Where the Wild Things Are, this is the second book in Sendak's famous Wild Things trilogy.

Sendak's hero Mickey falls through the dark into the Night Kitchen where three fat bakers are making the morning cake. So begins an intoxicating dream fantasy, described by the artist himself as 'a fantasy ten feet deep in reality'.

Maurice Sendak

Tom Hollander

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of A Sendak Collection by Maurice Sendak, read by Tom Hollander. 
 
 Come on an adventure with three classic tales from Maurice Sendak. 
 
 Sail off with Max to Where the Wild Things Are. 
 Fall with Mickey into the light of the Night Kitchen. 
 Climb backwards with Ida into Outside Over There. 
 
 Beautifully accompanied by the music of Mozart.

Maurice Sendak

Books by Maurice Sendak

Series by Maurice Sendak

Little Bear

Articles featuring Maurice Sendak

The best classic children’s picture books

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