Author and illustrator Maurice Sendak is best known for Where the Wild Things Are, a controversial work when it first appeared that has since become a venerated classic. Sendak has continued to write acclaimed children's books, including Higgelty Piggelty Pop, Juniper, Dear Mili, and In the Night Kitchen, but has also branched out into other artistic endeavors, including opera and film. He is the first American illustrator to win the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. His influence on children's literature has been immense, both in his challenge to the conventionality of so much children's literature, to his introduction of visceral, chaotic imagery evocative of the sometimes scary aspects of children's inner lives. His attention to the total effect of bookmaking has set a new production standard for illustrated children's books. This book considers the full range of Sendak's work, giving special attention to the unity of his artistic achievement, exploring the parallels between the visual "language" of his illustrations and the rhythms and themes of his prose. Sonheim's study is the first to examine the linguistic and artistic structure of Sendak's work from both a literary and visual perspective. All of Sendak's major works are critically analyzed, and the reader will find Sonheim's exploration of the eclectic influences on Sendak's work especially illuminating. This groundbreaking study will interest scholars, teachers, and students of children's literature, as well as those interested in art history and graphic design.