WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Author Maurice Sendak Dies at 83

The Los Angeles Times reports that Maurice Sendak, author of 'Where the Wild Things Are,' has died at age 83 at a Danbury, CT hosptial. He had suffered a stroke this past Friday. The author was also a set designer for opera and film.

Sendak's most famous children's book was published in 1963 and became one of the 10 bestselling children's stories of all time. The story followed a boy who wore a wolf costume into a menacing forest in an attempt to calm the wild beasts of his own imagination. Many initially condemned the book as being too frightening and dark for children. 

In 2009, the book was turned into a major motion picture directed by Spike Jonze. That same year, President Obama read from the book to children at the White House Easter egg roll. He commented at the time that it was one of his favorites.

The author always insisted that he did not write children's book but rather stories “about human emotion and life.” He once complained to People magazine, “They're pigeonholed as children's books but the best ones aren't — they're just books."