How we cite our quotes: (Page Number)
Quote #1
Illustration: Max, in his wolf suit, hammers a nail into the wall. (9)
Remember blanket forts?! We sure do. It was so much fun to drape quilts and sheets over the furniture and pretend to be off on a great adventure or expedition. With his blanket slung over the cloth line in this picture, it looks like that's what Max is doing here: playing explorer. And, of course, he's also exploring the boundaries of his household by hammering a nail into the wall.
Quote #2
[…] an ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max and he sailed off through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year to where the wild things are. (20-22)
This has got to be the coolest sentence ever about setting off on an adventure in a children's book. Max is definitely in for some serious exploration here, but the question is, just what is he exploring? When he hops in his sailboat, is Max heading through a magical portal to a distant and fantastical land? Or is Max still in the safety of his bedroom, sailing deep into his own psyche? What do you think?
Quote #3
[…] Max stepped into his private boat and waved good-bye and sailed back over a year and in and out of weeks and through a day and into the night of his very own room where he found his supper waiting for him—and it was still hot. (39-44)
The journey home—whether from an actual land of wild things or the deep recesses of his own mind—is also an exploration for Max. What do you think he discovers about himself when he chooses to give up his kingship and leave the wild things behind? How about when he sees that his dinner, still hot, is waiting for him?