In December of 1987, newly arrived to San Francisco, I spent my week's grocery money to attend the City Arts and Lectures at Herbst Theater - the speaker was Maurice Sendak. One of my heroes, the creator of Rosie who put on a show for the neighborhood (accurately capturing every summer of my childhood), Mr. Sendak understood the powerful emotions that drive the rich imaginative life of children. He had much to teach adults about respect for the child's mind. His work never patronized, sermonized, or belittled children and remains outstanding in the world of Arts and Letters.
In Maurice Sendak's acceptance speech for the Caldecott Medal in 1964, he had this to say about how adults misrepresent childhood:
"'From their earliest years children live on familiar terms with disrupting emotions — fear and anxiety are an intrinsic part of their everyday lives, they continually cope with frustrations as best they can. And it is through fantasy that children achieve catharsis. It is the best means they have for taming wild things.'"
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