Today's Birthdays: June 10

1928–, American writer and illustrator of children's books; born in New York City.

His beautifully drawn, wildly imaginative, often fantastic, and sometimes controversial illustrations appear in more than 30 children's books, including Where the Wild Things Are (1963), which he also wrote; In the Night Kitchen (1970); Outside over There (1981); We Are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy (1993); and Brundibar (2003), with text by Tony Kushner. He also has designed musical productions, including the Metropolitan Opera's version of Prokofiev's Love for Three Oranges (1985) and the Holocaust-themed A Selection (1999), created with the Pilobolus Dance Theater. Sendak also is the artistic director of his own theater company, the Night Kitchen.