Who doesn't remember fondly Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are? It is one of the most beloved children's books of all time.
Nearly five decades later, at 82 years old, Sendak has written and illustrated a new book to win the hearts of the masses: Bumble-Ardy.
To be published on September 6, 2011, Bumble-Ardy is the first book Sendark has both written and illustrated in 30 years.
The story, about a little pig who is about to turn nine years old yet has never had a birthday party, evolved from an animated segment for Sesame Street that aired in the 1970s.
The Wall Street Journal spoke with Sendak, who said he was never able to forget Bumble-Ardy.
"He was funny. He was robust. He was sly. He was a sneak. He was all the things I like," Sendak said.
Fans of Where the Wild Things Are have created a cult following for the book, but here are a few facts you may not know about the author:
1. His inspiration for his illustrations came from the 1940 film Fantasia.
2. The monsters in Where the Wild Things Are were based on relatives who visited Sendak when he was a child. They spoke little English and, as the author told The Guardian:
They grabbed you and twisted your face, and they thought that was an affectionate thing to do and I knew that my mother's cooking was pretty terrible, and it also took forever, and there was every possibility that they would eat me, or my sister or my brother.
3. His favorite artists are Herman Melville, Emily Dickinson and Mozart, who he told Bill Moyers he believes in with all his heart.
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