the author of *books on being interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air. (My friend has his illustrations tattooed on her back.)

George Takei.

75 years old.

Sir Ian McKellen

72 years old.

The late Maurice Sendak
83 years old.

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Tags for this video have been changed from 'author, WTWTA, Sendak' to 'author, where the wild things are, maurice sendak' - edited by xxovercastxx

Terry Gross: "Can you share some of your favorite comments from readers that you've gotten over the years?"

Maurice Sendak: "Oh, there's so many. Can I give you just one that I really like? It was from a little boy. He sent me a charming card with a little drawing. I loved it. I answer all my children's litter--sometimes very hastily--but this one I lingered over. I sent him a postcard and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, "Dear Jim, I loved your card." Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, "Jim loved your card so much he ate it." That to me was one of the highest compliments I've ever received. He didn't care that it was an original drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it."

Part 2:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/406902/january-25-2012/grim-colberty-tales-with-maurice-sendak-pt--2?xrs=share_copy

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I loved Maurice Sendak as a kid -- and I love him even more now!

Oh, I'm sure it'll look gorgeous and the voicing and such will be great, but it won't be "Where the Wild Things Are" - it'll be a much different story very loosely based on the original. It has to be - if you watch the animated version you'll see how short and simple the story is. They're probably going to accomplish what they're planning to do, but it won't be a movie of the book, much like the recent "Jumper" wasn't a movie of the book.

I'd prefer to see some originality in Hollywood and the abandonment of creating bastardized versions of beloved pre-existing materials, but I know that isn't at all likely to happen any time soon.

If you love the book you might be interested in visiting www.cafgivinggarden.org - the site showcases the garden being designed by Tiggy Salt for this year's Chelsea Flower Show. Based on Maurice Sendak's 'Where the Wild Things Are', the garden will bring together the familiar and the fantastic, combining traditional cottage garden planting with exotic jungle flowers and foliage.