One of my favorite books of all time is coming to the big screen tomorrow. It’s like a dream come true for me. It takes me back to the cold nights when just my mom and I lived alone in an old shack of a house in one of the poorer ends of Hampton, VA. She would read Where the Wild Things Are to me night after night after night. When we moved on up to McDonald Rd., it didn’t end. I loved this little book. I could taste the soup in my mouth when Max returns to his room at the end and his dinner “was still hot.”
And while I may be honoring Where the Wild Things Are with a small blog post, there are those out there who’ve done so much more. Here are some of the best places to find truly dedicated fans to one of the greatest children’s books of the century:
Terrible Yellow Eyes
A blog started by none other than local talent and good friend of Worthwhile, Cory Godbey, Terrible Yellow Eyes is a terrific send up from modern alternative artists. Every image (and there are a lot of them) maintains the artist’s interpretation of a point in the book. Many of them convey a very raw emotion that is immediately transparent. It’s a wonderful little blog that will lose you for hours…
… consider yourself warned.
AnnaTheRed’s Bento Factory
Not a Where the Wild Things Are site by any means, but Anna’s dedicated two of her Bento posts to the book, and they turned out gloriously. For those not in the know, Bento is essentially a Japanese dish that’s a “meal in a box.” You can put whatever you want in said box, and Anna mentions on her About page that many times mothers in Japan would make the face into characters as a way to make healthy food fun for the kiddos.
In the case of Where the Wild Things Are, the results rock. Her representations of Max and his monsters are adorable and would make for some great eats indeed.
You can see more of her work and learn more about the art of bento here.
We Love You So
What better way to get into the mind of a “Wild Thing” than to follow the ramblings of the fan so passionate about the book he was able to convince author Maurice Sendek to make it into a film. Spike Jonze (for the record, NOT this guy) brings the world, emotions, and mindset of Where the Wild Things Are to life in a unique way on his blog: We Love You So. In the book, the monsters don’t want Max to leave, crying out “We love you so.” Determined not to let him leave, they resolve to eat him up in order to make him stay. Spend time on this blog, and you won’t want to let it go, either.
Full of life — and wisely going off-topic in order to stay fresh — We Love You So gives us great insights into the making of the movie. As well as other things Wild Things. Reading through his posts, it’s not hard to conclude that the upcoming movie is a true labor of love from a fan who found deep resonance with the book. It’s a blog that treats its reader and material with respect — a quality rarely seen on the Web today.
Urban Outfitters
WARNING: This is not a site for hype-riding, self-proclaimed geeks of WTWTA that are living on a tight budget. Spend a few minutes on Urban Outfitters’ page dedicated to Where the Wild Things Are gear and novelties, and you may very well be paying for it for a long, long time. For an original clothes line inspired by the books, all the way to limited edition movie stills, there’s something here for every fan.
Just be prepared to pay dearly.
All in all, it’s great to see that I’m not the only kid in a grown-up’s body who still has a heart for this great little book. A book that in a mere nine sentences shows a child’s journey from anger and rebellion to his longing to return for love and assurance. I believe that pretty much sums up the desired journey of every human heart.
And that makes Where the Wild Things Are all the more precious. Enjoy, folks!
