Re-Sendakify Sendak Project: The Results
Previously on A Fuse #8 Production . . .
In 2012 I came up with a crazy idea. We all love Dr. Seuss. We all know his work. So for fun I asked folks to illustrate a scene from their favorite Seuss book in the style of a different children’s author. The result: The Re-Seussification Project. And that, ladies and gentlemen, was going to be the end of that.
Then Phil Nel had a notion.
What if The Niblings (Travis from 100 Scope Notes, Phil from Nine Kinds of Pie, Jules from Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, and myself) were to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication date of Where the Wild Things Are? Truthfully, we didn’t know the precise date that it hit bookstore and library shelves nationwide. What we did know was that it was in the fall, possibly October. So October 15th just seemed a good stand-in date to celebrate. Today you will find that each one of us has come up with an interesting and original way of celebrating the man and his legend. In my particular case, I do it by exploiting the talents of others. I feel no shame.
Back in April, you see, I put out the call. Folks were to redo a scene from a Sendak illustration in the style of another artist in the field. It could be something he illustrated, something he wrote, anything. I wondered if folks would all do the same books and illustrators or if they’d shake it up a bit. I never expected what I received. You’re in for a treat.
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for . . . the results!
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Saul Bass
Art by Jim Averbeck
Alligators All Around in the style of Tomie de Paola
Art by Bernie Mount
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Jules Feiffer
Art by Nick Bruel
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Oliver Jeffers
Art by Ken Min
In the Night Kitchen in the style of Kevin Henkes
Art by Susanne Lamb
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Clement Hurd
Art by Airlie Anderson
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Crockett Johnson
Art by Minh Le
Really Rosie in the style of Ezra Jack Keats
Art by Cecilia Cackley
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Robert Lawson
Art by Mike Boldt
Chicken Soup With Rice in the style of Laura Numeroff
Art by Deirdre Jones
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Miroslav Sasek
Art by Nancy Vo
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Farm in the style of Miroslav Sasek
(For those of you unfamiliar with the original, Mr. Burks was kind enough to pass along the original Sendak image, seen here:)
Art by James Burks
Bumble-Ardy in the style of Richard Scarry
Art by K-Fai Steele
Pierre in the style of Chris Van Allsburg
Art by Nathan Hale
And that might have been the end, had I not received the following email from Bernie Mount, a librarian at the St. Rita Catholic School:
“So, I had my 7th grade students try their hand at the Re-Sendakify project. It’s funny to see them try to think outside the box and really grasp the concept . . . They had a good time and I was happy to introduce them to Maurice Sendak. It was amazing how many of them only knew “Where the Wild Things Are” and some only the movie version.”
Well, with an intro like that I couldn’t help but wonder what the kids had come up with. I’m grateful to anyone that turns one of my pet projects into a school assignment. What’s also very interesting to me here is that at least two of the kids’ images think along the same lines as the artists above. It makes you wonder what it is about certain illustrators that you would naturally equate Pierre with Van Allsburg or Harold with Max. Here, in any case, is the work of some truly talented kids:
A Hole is to Dig in the style of Kevin Henkes
Analee A., Savana S., and Gabby S.
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Crockett Johnson
Quinn B., Kevin P., & Matthew W.
Little Bear’s Visit in the style of Jon Klassen
Carson W., Nicholas J., & John Alfred Z.
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Ian Falconer
Helen H. & Maggie K.
One Was Johnny in the style of James Dean
Maddy M., Paige M., Molly F.
Pierre in the style of Chris Van Allsburg
Lauryn S.
Where the Wild Things Are in the style of Melanie Watt
Christopher R., Barrett L., & Luke H.
Thanks one and all to the talented artists that spend untold gobs of time to put these together. One could not hope for a better celebration of the man and his works than this. And be sure to see posts from Travis from 100 Scope Notes, Phil from Nine Kinds of Pie, and Jules from Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast for more 50th anniversary high hilarity.
