‘Where The Wild Things Are’ author Maurice Sendak dies

Maurice Sendak, Legendary writer of children’s classics, is dead at the age of 83.

According to a report on reuters.com, hospital officials confirmed that he died at Danbury Hospital, Connecticut, on Tuesday due to complications from stroke.

President and publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books, Susan Katz, gave a statement following the news of his death. According to the reuters report, she said, “We are terribly saddened at the passing of Maurice Sendak. He was a glorious author and illustrator, an amazingly gifted designer, a blisteringly funny raconteur, a fierce and opinionated wit, and a loyal friend to those who knew him. His talent is legendary; his mind and breadth of knowledge equally so."

She lauded the author for his remarkable efforts and added, "Every once in a while, someone comes along who changes our world for the better. Maurice Sendak was such a man.”

British musician Mika also shared his thoughts about the author’s demise on Twitter.com, writing, "Maurice Sendak has died. I am so sad to hear that news. He was one of my lifelong heroes. I met him at his house last year & adored him. We spent the afternoon together & he was everything I hoped he would be,” according to a report on starpulse.com

The artist also praised the author for all his big achievements in life and termed his death as a great loss.

Sendak wrote 17 books and was also a terrific illustrator. His popular book, "Where the Wild Things Are", was first published in 1963 and adapted into a major Hollywood motion picture in 2009. In the same year, President Obama read the book to children at the White House Easter Egg Roll. He got the Caldecott Medal in 1964 for his best-selling book. In 1970, he went on to receive the Hans Christian Anderson award and was given a Laura Ingalls Wilder medal in 1983. Sendak also got a National Medal of the Arts in 1996 from President Bill Clinton.

Sendak's other popular books include "Chicken Soup With Rice", ''One was Johnny", ''Pierre", ''Outside Over There”, "Brundibar" and “In the Night Kitchen”.

Sendak was called Picasso of children's books by one of his critics. He illustrated more than 50 books during his long career and won a number of prizes for his drawings. Sendak worked as a costume and stage designer too for operas of Ravel, Mozart and several others.