Maurice Sendak
I felt pretty powerless as a little kid. I was terrible at crossing the street. Even if my mother started crossing, I would rip my hand free of hers and stubbornly wait if there was a car within two blocks. I think the only reason I ever crossed, is that she began leaving without me and the only thing I feared more than being struck by a car was being lost and alone. Example: When I was a pre-schooler, I once cried while holding my mothers hand on a crowded stairwell (in church) because I had momentarily lost sight of her. Maurice Sendak acknowledged the utter powerlessness of children, but still gave them power. It made a big difference to me. I took comfort knowing that Max was a tiny kid and on a time-out, but still able to stare down the ferocious Wild Things. Sendak is dead. If you are wired, you already know this, so let's not rehash(tag). There are already fantastic stories in the New York Times and tributes on NPR . If you are a fan and have an hour to spend,...