Kenny's Window (udgave 1989)

First book written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, published without a dust jacket. Fine condition. Scarce Book.

This book is intriguing, but confusing. It is about a boy named Kenny who, one night in his dreams, writes down 7 questions and must answer them when he is awake. His answering takes him all the way from the comfort of his room to Switzerland and back again. It is clear as an adult that this story outlines, in essence, the imaginings of a creative young boy, but as a child, I think it would be very confusing. The book is fantasy, but Sendak (as is his style) does not give context for its fantastical nature. What worked so well in Where the Wild Things Are did not transfer well to Kenny's Window.
Uses: As strange as this book is, I might use it as an example of how descriptive simple language can be, and that a small vocabulary is not a hindrance. (Not that Sendak had a small vocabulary, but he uses a small vocabulary to communicate to young readers.)
Medium: pen and watercolor