20 Memorable Where The Wild Things Are Quotes By Maurice Sendak

'Where The Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak is regarded as one of the best picture books for children.

The book 'Where The Wild Things Are' follows the journey of little Max as he makes his way through an imaginary land of Wild Things as he becomes their king and goes on all sorts of adventures. Here are some of the best 'Where The Wild Things Are' quotes.

The book was critically acclaimed and has sold 20 million copies worldwide in 32 languages. 'Where The Wild Things Are' has also seen adaptations in other media including an Animated Short in 1973, an Opera in 1980 and a Live-Action Adaptation in 2009 directed and produced respectively by Spike Jonze and Maurice Sendak.

Maurice Sendak came under scrutiny from psychologists around the world who deemed his work "too dark" for children because of the image of witchcraft and supernatural elements. This scrutiny caused 'Where The Wild Things Are' to be banned in the Southern part of the United States. With all that said, the message of the book comes off as how people are in control of their own destiny in their own imaginations, and can be whoever or whatever they want to be.

Find the best 'Where The Wild Things Are' quotes right here! You may also like 'Alice in Wonderland' quotes and 'Zootopia' quotes.
 

Here are inspirational quotes, 'Where The Wild Things Are' quotes that are heartwarming and quotes from the book with great meaning.

1. “The night Max wore his Wolf suit and made mischief of one kind, and another. His mother called him 'WILD THING' and Max said 'I'LL EAT YOU UP!' so he was sent to bed without eating anything.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

2. “And Max, the king of all wild things, was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

3. “And the wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

4. “Then from far away across the world he smelled good things to eat, so he gave up being king of the wild things.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

5. “He’s just a boy, pretending to be a wolf, pretending to be king.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

6. “Max stepped into his private boat and waved goodbye and sailed back over a year and in and out of weeks and through a day and into the night of his very own room where he found his supper waiting for him—and it was still hot.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

This is the last line of the beautiful book.

7. “There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

8. “Let the wild rumpus start!”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

9. “Inside all of us is Hope.

Inside all of us is Fear.

Inside all of us is Adventure.

Inside all of us is… A Wild Thing.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

10. “What I dread is the isolation. ... There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

11. “That very night in Max's room a forest grew... and grew—and grew until his ceiling hung with vines and the walls became the world all around…”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

12. “He sailed ... through night and day ... over a year to where the wild things are.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

13. “They leave me and I love them more.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

14. “An ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max and he sailed off through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year to where the wild things are.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

Some great quotes from the live-action adaptation of the book 'Where The Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak.

15. “Max: Carol, did you know the sun was gonna die?

Carol: What? I never heard that... Oh, come on. That can't happen. I mean you're the king, and look at me, I'm big! how can guys like us worry about a tiny little thing like the sun, hmm?”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

16. “Carol: I don't talk to owls. Owls are stupid.

Carol: I don't apologize to owls. Owls are stupid.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

17. “KW: Step on my head.

Carol: No. Forget it. I'm not going to step on your head...just to make you feel better.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

18. “Douglas: Will you keep out all the sadness?

Max: I have a sadness shield that keeps out all the sadness, and it's big enough for all of us.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

19. “Carol: This part of your kingdom's not so good.

Max: Why?

Carol: Well, look: this used to be all rock, and now it's sand, and then, one day, it's going to be dust, and then the whole island will be dust, and then... well I don't even know what comes after dust.”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

20. “Carol: So, what ever happened with you and the Vikings?

Max: Well, in the end I had to leave.

Carol: Why?

Max: I'm not a Viking or a king, or... or anything.

Carol: So, what are you?

Max: I'm Max.

Carol : [sigh] Well, that's not very much, is it?”

- 'Where The Wild Things Are'.

21. “If I was stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing, it'd be Douglas. We can share him if you want.”

- Carol.

22. “It's going to be a place where only the things you want to happen, would happen.”

- Carol.

23. “Happiness isn't always the best way to be happy.”

-Judith.

24. “We'll take care for each other, and we'll all sleep together in a real pile.”

- Max.

25. “You know what I say. If you got a problem, eat it.”

-Judith.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'Where The Wild Things Are' Quotes, then why not take a look at 'A Tree Grows In Brooklyn' quotes, or 'Anastasia' Quote.