Author Maurice Sendak died May 8th at the age of 83 after suffering complications from a recent stroke. Born in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrant parents, the beloved children's author was known for picture books that he wrote and illustrated himself. Among his most famous works are "Where the Wild Things Are" and "In the Night Kitchen," both of which tell the stories of young boys who embark upon night time adventures. His most recent picture book, "Bumble-Ardy," spent five weeks on the New York Times best seller list for children in 2011.
The New York Times published a wonderful article about Sendak, discussing his frail childhood, the impact of the Holocaust on his family in Europe and his experiences growing up as a lower class, Jewish gay man. "All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy," he is quoted as saying in the article. "They never, never, never knew." The article also describes Sendak's life-long passion for drawing and how a 1948 job building window displays for F.A.O. Schwarz led to his distinguished career in the publishing world. To read more, visit "Maurice Sendak, Author of Splendid Nightmares, Dies at 83."