The Wild Rumpus

When Dagny was about 4 she announced to me that my services would no longer be needed at story time, from now on she would do the reading.  I think her exact works were, "Mommy, you don't need to read to Dane anymore, that is my job now."  She took her job very seriously, and she read to him everyday for years and years. She read him all her favorite books; Curious George, Clifford, Berenstein Bears, Madeline, Dr. Seuss... but her all-time favorite book was Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and she read it to Dane everyday. I had been reading that book to them all their lives, Max and the Wild Things were a part of us. 

reading with Grandpa

 (Dane with his Wild Things toys in his lap)

Just about every afternoon at that point in the day when a mother has had just about enough and starts looking at the clock to see when Daddy will be home, we would have a wild rumpus.  Dagny and Dane would yell, "And now, let the wild rumpus start!" Sofa cushions and toys would fly through the air, then came the dancing and jumping, singing and running, climbing, laughter, and general mayhem.  All the things a good rumpus should have. Let me just say, some of the fondest memories I have of those years are joining in the rumpus with my Wild Things.

Dagny and Dane could start a wild rumpus anywhere

At the Metreon in San Francisco they used to have this AMAZING Wild Things play space.  I can't even begin to adequately describe it's awesomeness, it was truly magical. Once you stepped in you were completely immersed in the world of the Wild Things, and like the book it was just the right amount of frightening and wondrous. We used to go there a lot, and we always marveled about how lucky we were that a place like that existed. 

 

Where The Wild Things Are is not the only Maurice Sendak book that we loved, we were amused by In The Night Kitchen and appropriately scared by Outside Over There and completely enchanted by his illustrations for the Little Bear books. I consider Maurice Sendak one of the most important children's authors of all time.  He changed children's literature, and he changed our lives.  Mr. Sendak died today, and I would just like to say thank you.  Thank you for sharing your imagination and for teaching us how to be wild.