Classics · Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are: what age is it for?

Illustration: children's classics fanned out in worn bindings, one of them open

Maurice Sendak's book has been published since 1963, and it's still one of the few picture books that takes a child's anger seriously. Some parents wonder whether the monsters are too frightening for young children.

Here's what age Common Sense Media gives, what the book is about, and how it works at two and at six.

In brief

Age 2+, according to Common Sense Media.¹ A UK retailer gives 2 to 6.²
First published in 1963 by Harper & Row in the United States, and in the UK by The Bodley Head in 1967.
Caldecott Medal 1964, the American award for picture books.
Very few words. Two-year-olds are moving from two-word to three-word sentences.³ The book's short text and large pictures leave room for them to join in.

The story

What the book is about

Max makes mischief in his wolf suit and is sent to bed without supper. His room turns into a forest, he sails away to where the wild things are, tames them with a look and becomes their king. Then he feels lonely, sails home, and finds his supper waiting for him, still hot.

The wild things look frightening, but Max is in charge of them the whole time. That's the heart of the book: a child who is angry, goes far away in his imagination, and comes back to find he's still loved.

In practice

At two, and at six

At two, the pictures. The three wordless double pages of the wild rumpus are the ones toddlers ask for. Let them roar.

At four, the feelings. Children who know what it's like to be sent to their room recognise Max. It's a good moment to talk about anger, without a lecture.

At six, the details. Older children notice the room turning into a forest, the moon, the supper that's still hot. And they can read the short text themselves.

If your child is often angry right now, our page on tantrums may help.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What age is Where the Wild Things Are for?

Common Sense Media rates it “age 2+”, and a UK retailer gives 2 to 6. It's a picture book toddlers enjoy and older children keep coming back to.

Is Where the Wild Things Are too scary for a 2 year old?

The wild things look fierce, but Max is in charge of them from the start, and the book ends with his supper waiting. Most young children enjoy the roaring. If your child is sensitive, read it in daylight first.

When was Where the Wild Things Are published?

In 1963 by Harper & Row in the United States; it won the Caldecott Medal in 1964. The first UK edition came out with The Bodley Head in 1967.

What is Where the Wild Things Are about?

A boy called Max, sent to bed without supper, sails away to where the wild things are, becomes their king, and comes home to find his supper still hot. It's a book about anger, imagination and being loved.

References

Sources

1.Common Sense Media: Where the Wild Things Are.What it confirms: The rating “age 2+”.
2.Curious Minds: Where the Wild Things Are.What it confirms: The age band 2 to 6, given by a retailer (not the publisher or BookTrust).
3.Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA): language development, kindergesundheit-info.de. (in German)What it confirms: First words between 12 and 18 months, 50 to 200 words at 20 months, two- then three-word sentences, subordinate clauses at four to five, more than 3,000 words at school age, a passing stammer in the fourth year.
4.BookTrust Bookfinder: Where the Wild Things Are.What it confirms: The book is listed as a BookTrust recommendation.

A word about us

A story where the child is in charge

Max goes far away and comes home again. Children love stories where they're the ones who decide.

At Sagalino, your child becomes the hero of a story with their name, in one of our 21 illustration styles. You read the whole story for free, and only pay afterwards.

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