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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This book was weird because of the idea itself. A boy feels lost because he has no one to talk to and feels ignored so he goes (imagines) to the wild things.
It was cute when I was younger and, when I have kids, I'm going to read this book to them and let them enjoy it too. I still like this book and the story but I haven't seen it in about a year or two and hope to be able to read it again.
I recommend this for young readers and readers who enjoy short picture books.
Rating: 5.7/10
Parental Rating: G
It was cute when I was younger and, when I have kids, I'm going to read this book to them and let them enjoy it too. I still like this book and the story but I haven't seen it in about a year or two and hope to be able to read it again.
I recommend this for young readers and readers who enjoy short picture books.
Rating: 5.7/10
Parental Rating: G
This was one of the books recommended by a classmate of mine after having seen my image bank at the art academy. And at the end of the semester, I wrote a argument about how it is important to keep using the view of a child, full of curiosity, amazement, and not being afraid to try and make mistakes, and use that mentality to make art.
I watched the movie adaptation of 'Where the wild things are' first, and afterwards wanted to read the original, and I must say, it was a bit underwhelming.
What I loved about the movie, was the way it captured the essence of being a child so great. With moments such as a snowball fight, making a blanket fort, talking with plushies (but then two birds, Bob and Terry), making up stories, being proud of something you made and wanting to show it to your family, the little mistakes, such as running, tripping, but after that just continuing undaunted; the simple problem solving methods, such as when a monster's arm gets broken off, simply put a stick as a replacement; playing games, but when a rule is broken, it isn't fun anymore and throw a tantrum about it; or the sudden realisation that something you learned at school and is absolutely beyond you, will happen.
"'Did you know that the sun was gonna die?'
'I never heard of that.'
'Oh, come on. That can't happen. I mean, you’re the king, and look at me, I’m big! How could guys like us worry about tiny little things like the sun?'"
And it made me tear up at times with a simple 'Does anyone ever hear me?', because everyone seemed to ignore that monster.
I also loved the way the problems of Carol and Max were portrayed and how they were dealt with.
Max, the boy who ran away from home after nobody in his family showed the right amount of interest in the things he did, throwing a fit about it, and getting called 'Out of control', stumbles upon an island with monsters. He saves himself from being eaten by them through bluffing, and even becomes their king. He promises them, that while he is king, he can magically make al their sadness go away. And at first, he succeeds. He can organize all the fun activities his family didn't show appreciation for, and the monsters adore them for it. But after a while, the problems in the group return, and he experiences how difficult it is to be in a "parent" role, with everyone looking up to you, trusting you'll know what to do, and that your false, bluffing promises will have consequences. Eventually coming to the conclusion he misses his own family and decided to go home (with a bittersweet departing scene)
"He’ll keep us all together, he has powers. Right Max?"
"'You’ve changed everything.'
(...)
'I really messed this place up.'"
"'I'm not a viking, or a king, or anything.'
'So what are you?'
'I'm Max'
'Well, that’s not very much, is it?'"
And then we have Carol, the monster who was destroying their homes when Max arrived because KW, another monster in the group, found other friends to hang out with and he believes she doesn't want to return to them because of that.
He gets frustrated and angry easily, but cares deeply for everyone around him, and even made a maquette of an imaginatory city where they could have a good time together. But as he starts to doubt everything Max had said and he believed so passionately, he starts to get destructive, eventually also getting called 'out of control', by KW. That hit very hard, considering Max was also called that, but now he was in the shoes of someone who agreed with the statement.
"Am I really as bad as he says I am? I just want us all to be together."
"'He doesn’t mean to be that way. He’s just scared.'
'He only makes it harder.'
'He loves you. He’s your family.'
'Well, it’s hard being a family.'"
And of course, I should have known that when I was about to read a children's book, it wouldn't have that much emotional, because it needed to be short and comprehendable for young children. But I still expected a bit more, then just Max becoming a king of the monsters, and suddenly going home (and the monsters seemingly being mad about that?). The storyboom focussed more on the behaving bad in the family part, and it was all in his imagination part.
But still, the idea of making a children's book with a child who has a wild imagination, and isn't the perfect, well mannered child that that were praised in other children's books, is a huge revolution, considering this was written in 1963. And I think this message of being allowed to speak your mind, even if it goes against what others want from you, as well as it being okay to have a wild imagination and make up fantasies, is very important for young children to learn. So I'm planning on reading this book to my child if I ever get one. Also with the idea in mind that they can start learning English from a young age!
I watched the movie adaptation of 'Where the wild things are' first, and afterwards wanted to read the original, and I must say, it was a bit underwhelming.
What I loved about the movie, was the way it captured the essence of being a child so great. With moments such as a snowball fight, making a blanket fort, talking with plushies (but then two birds, Bob and Terry), making up stories, being proud of something you made and wanting to show it to your family, the little mistakes, such as running, tripping, but after that just continuing undaunted; the simple problem solving methods, such as when a monster's arm gets broken off, simply put a stick as a replacement; playing games, but when a rule is broken, it isn't fun anymore and throw a tantrum about it; or the sudden realisation that something you learned at school and is absolutely beyond you, will happen.
"'Did you know that the sun was gonna die?'
'I never heard of that.'
'Oh, come on. That can't happen. I mean, you’re the king, and look at me, I’m big! How could guys like us worry about tiny little things like the sun?'"
And it made me tear up at times with a simple 'Does anyone ever hear me?', because everyone seemed to ignore that monster.
I also loved the way the problems of Carol and Max were portrayed and how they were dealt with.
Max, the boy who ran away from home after nobody in his family showed the right amount of interest in the things he did, throwing a fit about it, and getting called 'Out of control', stumbles upon an island with monsters. He saves himself from being eaten by them through bluffing, and even becomes their king. He promises them, that while he is king, he can magically make al their sadness go away. And at first, he succeeds. He can organize all the fun activities his family didn't show appreciation for, and the monsters adore them for it. But after a while, the problems in the group return, and he experiences how difficult it is to be in a "parent" role, with everyone looking up to you, trusting you'll know what to do, and that your false, bluffing promises will have consequences. Eventually coming to the conclusion he misses his own family and decided to go home (with a bittersweet departing scene)
"He’ll keep us all together, he has powers. Right Max?"
"'You’ve changed everything.'
(...)
'I really messed this place up.'"
"'I'm not a viking, or a king, or anything.'
'So what are you?'
'I'm Max'
'Well, that’s not very much, is it?'"
And then we have Carol, the monster who was destroying their homes when Max arrived because KW, another monster in the group, found other friends to hang out with and he believes she doesn't want to return to them because of that.
He gets frustrated and angry easily, but cares deeply for everyone around him, and even made a maquette of an imaginatory city where they could have a good time together. But as he starts to doubt everything Max had said and he believed so passionately, he starts to get destructive, eventually also getting called 'out of control', by KW. That hit very hard, considering Max was also called that, but now he was in the shoes of someone who agreed with the statement.
"Am I really as bad as he says I am? I just want us all to be together."
"'He doesn’t mean to be that way. He’s just scared.'
'He only makes it harder.'
'He loves you. He’s your family.'
'Well, it’s hard being a family.'"
And of course, I should have known that when I was about to read a children's book, it wouldn't have that much emotional, because it needed to be short and comprehendable for young children. But I still expected a bit more, then just Max becoming a king of the monsters, and suddenly going home (and the monsters seemingly being mad about that?). The storyboom focussed more on the behaving bad in the family part, and it was all in his imagination part.
But still, the idea of making a children's book with a child who has a wild imagination, and isn't the perfect, well mannered child that that were praised in other children's books, is a huge revolution, considering this was written in 1963. And I think this message of being allowed to speak your mind, even if it goes against what others want from you, as well as it being okay to have a wild imagination and make up fantasies, is very important for young children to learn. So I'm planning on reading this book to my child if I ever get one. Also with the idea in mind that they can start learning English from a young age!
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
one of my favs and one of the most powerful children’s books ever
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
