Tracing Maurice Sendak’s life and work from 1980 to the present, this illustrated volume is filled with projects in various mediums, both inside and outside the children’s book arena. Reproduced here are lavish set and costume designs for a number of theatrical and dance productions, from The Nutcracker to The Magic Flute to The Love for Three Oranges. Also represented is artwork for numerous posters, CD covers, book jackets, and adult books, as well as children’s picture books. Profusely illustrated, this book introduces Sendak’s recent work, particularly in the theater, to a wider audience and pays tribute to his genius.
Playwright Tony Kushner, a longtime friend, and more recently, a collaborator with the artist, chronicles Sendak’s work and provides new insights into his unique past. Using Sendak’s journals, personal interviews, and a wealth of shared anecdotal experience, Kushner paints a singular portrait of a man with burning passion, acute sympathy, and a hunger for beauty. Readers are offered an intimate view into Sendak’s personal and professional frustrations, as well as his triumphs. pp. 223 illusts Maurice Sendak ranks as one of the best known and loved children’s book artists in the USA, and has been awarded both the Hans Christian Andersen Medal and the Caldecott Medal. This volume picks up where Selma Lanes’ monograph of his work The Art of Maurice Sendak”