Maurice Sendak

Every Green Hills musical story time ends with
Chicken Soup with Rice, Sendak's ridiculous tribute to the lunchtime favorite.  
My son likes the song,
although he will not watch "Really Rosie,"
the cartoon made out of The Sign on Rosie's Door
that features it. 
He liked the other Nutshell Library books,
Pierre, Alligators All Around, and One Was Johnny. 
Alligators is alliterative, 
and Soup, Johnny, and Pierre all rhyme. 
I adored them as a kid.
I've mentioned how Where the Wild Things Are 
helps kids understand transgression and forgiveness. 


So does Sendak's very last book, 
Bumble-Ardy. 
Bumble-Ardy, a birthday deprived pig, invites a bunch
of dirty swine and dear Aunt Adeline finds them in her home, swilling her brine. 
"'Okay Smarty you've had your party!
But never again!'
'I promise! I swear! I won't ever turn ten!'"
Then all is forgiveness for her Bumble Valentine.
If you think that Sendak's books contain powerful psychological undercurrents,
you could not be more right.
Outside Over There and In the Night Kitchen,
like Wild Things, illustrate the kid id.
Here are links to interviews with Sendak:
Interview with Sendak from Fresh Air

Interview with Sendak from Here and Now
And Carole King's musical setting of Pierre w/animation:
Pierre