Maurice Sendak (1928-2012) was an award-winning American author and illustrator. Born to Polish-Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York, Sendak's creativity and love for books developed at a young age. Sendak rose to fame for his beloved children's books such as Where the Wild Things Are, for which he received the 1964 Caldecott Medal, In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, Higglety Pigglety Pop! and Nutshell Library. He is also known for creating illustrations for various children's book authors including Else Holmelund Minarik's Little Bear series. In 1970, he received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Illustration. Maurice Sendak's innovative writing style and artwork challenged traditional norms in children's literature. His books left a lasting impact and continue to be cherished by readers around the world.