Children’s Literature Evaluation Form

Your Name: Joanna Simon

Book Title: Where the Wild Things Are
Author: Sendak, Maurice
Genre: Fantasy Stories Children’s picture book
Illustrator: Sendak, Maurice
Publisher/Year: Harper & Row, November 13, 1963
Evaluate the Book for the following elements
Style and Language: Using examples for the book, explain the following: Word
choices, dialogue, rhythm, rhyme and sentence length. Share unexpected
insights or interes ng informa on the reader learns from this story. (5 points)

The author uses enough details to describe the creatures and Max’s journey that
is created in his mind. Maurice does not use any violent choices of words or
rhymes in his story. He keeps everything easy and simple. Max goes through a
journey on his own before he gets in trouble by his mom for being too much
where she considered him a “wild thing”. Max learns he does not like being
alone a er a while where he envisions himself the king of the forest.
Character: With examples from the book, provide the following- (5 points)
Who is the main character?
How can the reader relate to the character?
Who are the suppor ng characters?

Max is the main character.

As a kid when you are bored with nothing to do we use our imagina on to
create a whole story with crazy adventures. Growing up I would build forts and
create di erent stories everyday entertaining myself as the day goes.
The big creatures Max comes across are considered suppor ng character.

Plot: Summarize the major events of the story (6 points)

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 A er Max gets in trouble by his mom he envisions a whole new world every
night where he is the king toward these big animals in a forest. He enjoys his
adventure with the big creatures where a er a while he realizes he feels lonely
and all he wants is to be loved.
Se ng: Explain the place and me of this book. (2 points)
Theme: What is the main message of this book? (2 points)

The se ng is taken place in his own room every night.

The main message of the book is when you are hungry you are not fully yourself.
When Max gets sent home without ea ng he envisions a whole story ending
with him ge ng food when he comes back to reality a er feeling lonely.
Illustra on: Analyze the book you selected with the following categories
Style (realism, surrealism, expressionism, impressionism, naïve, cartoon art)? (2
points)

The author includes realism with real life situa ons, surrealism using Max’s
imagina on, impressionism and cartoon art.
Media Choice (paints, oils watercolors, pencils, pen, charcoal, crayons, acrylic,
chalk): (2 points)

I would say the author uses paints and pen to create this book.
Give examples of describe how the following visual elements are used in the
illustra ons: (3)
Line: He uses a lot of sharp lines detailing the palm trees, Max’s wall in his
bedroom and the monsters bodies.
Shapes: He uses simple shapes for instances squares and circles.
Color: The colors in the story are very dull and simple.
Texture: rough, furry, smooth
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 Page design (placement of the illustra ons, use of borders, white and dark space
and all pages the same or di erent). (3)
The words are in a white border located either on the bo om or on the sides.
The book itself is mainly in dull colors the only bright color would be considered
his small boat.

Child Development Theory: Choose either Piaget, Erickson or Social Emo onal
to describe the connec on to the book Chose 1 only (5 points)
Erickson:
Name the stage_ini a ve vs. guilt_ and the age preschool_
Explain the cogni ve development from this stage and provide an example from
the book to support your choice:
Max is able to create a whole story line every night before he goes to bed where
he learns being alone is not the best op on for him. The stage allows
preschoolers to use pretend play and physical ac vi es as a way to try new
things to help them grow.

1 would not recommend 2 average 3 highly recommended

Your ra ng of the book: _2 average _

Why?
The author uses poor choices of color where it would not grab a child’s
a en on. In my opinion the book did not keep me on my feet for instance the
author could’ve allowed gone on more adventures with the big creatures.

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