Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak (1928–2012) was an American children’s author and illustrator. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish-Jewish immigrants. His best-known works include *Where the Wild Things Are*, *In the Night Kitchen*, and *Higglety Pigglety Pop!*. Sendak received, among other honors, the Caldecott Medal, the international Hans Christian Andersen Award, and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Before focusing on children’s literature, he worked as an artist for animated films and as a window decorator at the New York toy store FAO Schwarz.