When Maurice Sendak died in 2012, there were plenty of moving tributes — both written and crafted — celebrating his legacy. But today, which would have been his 85th birthday, Google has added another wonderful tribute to the list: an Google Doodle that leads us through his most-loved stories.
The doodle begins with a 360-degree tour of Where the Wild Things Are, but also highlights his other masterpieces, like In the Night Kitchen, a book that was surrounded by controversy because its young protagonist appeared fully naked. Sendak had strong opinions about the differences — or lack thereof — between children and adults. “I don’t believe in children,” he famously said. “I don’t believe there’s a demarcation of ‘you mustn’t tell them this, you mustn’t tell them that.’ You tell them anything you want.”
It’s been about a year since Sendak passed away, and it’s nice to see his work still being celebrated on this scale. Even about death, he had a characteristically wonderful perspective on things, saying, “I have nothing now but praise for my life. I’m not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can’t stop them. They leave me and I love them more. […] There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready.” Check out the Doodle for yourself, or watch the explanatory video above.
