Where the wild things are book summary

Max, a small boy in a white wolf suit is playing in the hallway outside his room, stalking his toy soldiers, ambushing his teddy bear from his ‘jungle’ tent cloth strung up across the hall and being thoroughly, happily naughty! 

As he lies on the floor pretending to be dead, he is frightened by the shadow of something making strange noises. It turns out to be his Mama and her wheezy old vacuum cleaner. She scolds Max but he continues to be naughty and defy her and is sent to bed without his supper. 

He sulks and begins to think of terrible revenge. His room begins to change and all about him a forest grows. A little sail-boat appears and Max climbs in. He is alone at sea moving through days and nights and in and out of weeks until, as dawn approaches, a huge sea-monster rears up from the water but sinks slowly down again at Max’s command. An island comes into view with palm trees, a plateau and a large cave. 

As Max moors his boat he hears distant rumbling noises. The Wild Things hurtle out of the cave shouting rude things at Max and making wicked fun of him. Though they seem comical, things could get out of hand at any moment. Max has had enough of their antics and noise. He howls at them and then stares into their yellow eyes, silencing and controlling them. Max tries to take stock of his surroundings, but every time, a Wild Thing steals up on him, only to be frozen back into submission with his magic stare. 

The forest thickens and the sea disappears. A small white goat brings in a crown but keeps it away from Max’s reach. The Wild Things form a procession and then crown Max ‘King of all Wild Things’. The Wild Rumpus begins: Max and the monsters hurtle about, dancing wildly. As the dancing reaches its peak, Tzippy, the female Wild Thing, literally loses her head in the chaos. Abruptly Max stops the dance and sends the Wild Things off to bed without any supper.

He takes off his crown, sits by his tent and dreams of home, his Mama and a hot supper. Then he gets up, tiptoes past the sleeping Wild Things and makes his way to the edge of the island to summon his boat again. 

The Wild Things wake up one by one, and stealthily move towards the boat after Max, muttering and making hostile gestures. Suddenly they beg Max not to leave them, but the boat pulls away from the shore as the monsters howl and threaten terrible revenge. Max is once more alone at sea, sailing back through nights and days. A forest grows around him and he leaves his boat which disappears into the distance.

Max’s room slowly becomes visible. At the back of the room is a tray on a table. Max sees a bowl of soup and then tastes it… it is still hot.

"Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak has become a classic. Winner of the 1964 Caldecott Medal as the "Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year," it was first published by HarperCollins in 1963. When Sendak wrote the book, the theme of dealing with dark emotions was rare in children's literature, especially in picture book format.

Story Summary

After more than 50 years, what keeps the book popular is not the impact of the book on the field of children's literature, it is the impact of the story and the illustrations on young readers. The plot of the book is based on the fantasy (and real) consequences of a little boy's mischief.

One night Max dresses up in his wolf suit and does all kinds of things he shouldn't, like chasing the dog with a fork. His mother scolds him and calls him a "WILD THING!" Max is so mad he shouts back, "I'LL EAT YOU UP!" As a result, his mother sends him to his bedroom without any supper.

Max's imagination transforms his bedroom into an extraordinary setting, with a forest and an ocean and a little boat that Max sails in until he comes to a land full of "wild things." Although they look and sound very fierce, Max is able to tame them with a single glance.

They all realize Max is "..the most wild thing of all" and make him their king. Max and the wild things have a fine time creating a rumpus until Max begins to want to be "…where someone loved him best of all." Max's fantasy ends when he smells his dinner. Despite the wild things' protests, Max sails back to his own room where he finds his supper waiting for him.

The Book's Appeal

This is a particularly appealing story because Max is in conflict with both his mother and his own anger. Despite the fact that he is still angry when he is sent to his room, Max does not continue his mischief. Instead, he gives free rein to his angry emotions through his fantasy, and then, comes to a decision that he will no longer let his anger separate him from those whom he loves and who love him.

Max is an engaging character. His actions, from chasing the dog to talking back to his mother are realistic. His emotions are also realistic. It's quite common for children to get angry and fantasize about what they could do if they ruled the world and then calm down and consider the consequences. Max is a child with whom most 3- to 6-year-olds readily identify.

Summing Up the Impact of the Book

"Where the Wild Things Are" is an excellent book. What makes it so extraordinary is the creative imagination of both Maurice Sendak the writer and Maurice Sendak the artist. The text and the artwork complement one another, moving the story along seamlessly.

The transformation of Max's bedroom into a forest is a visual delight. Sendak's colored pen and ink illustrations in muted colors are both humorous and sometimes a little scary, reflecting both Max's imagination and his anger. The theme, conflict, and characters are ones with which readers of all ages can identify, and is a book that children will enjoy hearing again and again.

Publisher: HarperCollins, ISBN: 0060254920

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Kennedy, Elizabeth. "Breakdown and Review of 'Where the Wild Things Are'." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/where-the-wild-things-are-maurice-sendak-626391 (accessed December 29, 2022).

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