Three authors shaped much of my early learning, inspired me to read (and write) and fueled my imagination: Dr. Seuss, Richard Scarry, and Maurice Sendak.
Most will probably remember Sendak for Where the Wild things Are, a great book but far from his only great work. Pictured are some of his little books, collected as the Nutshell Library. Alligators All Around and In the Night Kitchen were some I read as a child. Later, I discovered other books he’d written and illustrated and I loved each of them. When We Are All In the Dumps with Jack and Guy was released and immediately landed on banned book lists, I bought a copy even though I was in my 20s and didn’t have a kid.
As of today, all are now silent and will write no more but I am thankful that they left the words and pictures that have meant so much to me and that I passed on to my daughter. I hope that she will pass them on, too.
Photo: “Picture of the Day #51” CC-BY-NC-ND Jamie Anderson on Flickr.
I bought that collection for Rhys. I love “Pierre”. What a great legacy he leaves behind.
Yes! Legacy is a very appropriate term here, not only for the work he did but for the inspiration he provided to many other authors, illustrators and individuals.