Born on June 10, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York, Maurice Sendak was raised in by parents Phillip and Sadie along with two older siblings, Jack and Natalie. Sendak’s childhood was difficult. He lost many extended family members during the Holocaust, and he grappled with health issues that confined him to bed. He spent much of his time delving into old books and developing his  imagination, which fostered a passion for reading and illustrations.

After Sendak overcame his health issues, he attended college at the Art Students League of New York where he refined the skills needed in order to pursue his passion. During this same time, he worked as a window designer at Manhattan's famed retailer, F.A.O Schwartz. Before becoming a well-known author, he was a in-demand illustrator, most famously for the Little Bear series, as well as more than 50 others.

His most notable book is Where the Wild Things Are, for which he received the 1964 Caldecott Medal. He has written many other published children's books, including Outside Over There and Kenny’s Window. You can check out more of Maurice Sendak’s works listed below.

Sendak died on May 8, 2012 at age 83. The New York Times obituary called Sendak "one of the most important children's book artist of the 20th century."