Where the Wild Things Are & Guardian Lion
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and Guardian Lion, 12th century, sandstone, Norton Simon Art Foundation, from the Estate of Jennifer Jones Simon
Featured Book: Where the Wild Things Are, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak
Featured Artwork: Guardian Lion, 12th century
In Where the Wild Things Are written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, a boy named Max gets sent to bed without supper after causing havoc in his house. That night, his bedroom transforms into a jungle as he sails off to an island of the imaginary Wild Things, and they enjoy a wild rumpus together. When Max becomes lonely, he returns home and finds his warm supper waiting for him.
In Guardian Lion, we see a stylized lion that would have been placed along staircases and terraces of a temple complex. Lions are not native to Cambodia, so the 12th-century artists who created this sculpture had to use their imaginations.
Inspired by Where the Wild Things Are and Guardian Lion, draw your own imaginary creature and imagine where it would live, how it would move and what it would sound like.
If you don’t have access to the featured book, select something similar from your child’s book shelf or your local library. Many of the books are also available as read-aloud videos online.