This is one of my all time favorite children's books - I love the words, the illustrations, everything about it! My girls (5/8/10) have all enjoyed it since they were teeny! You can't go wrong with Sendak!
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In the Night Kitchen
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 4; suggested age 4. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Sendak's timeless nursery rhyme is a joyride.
updated 07.04.08
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 4 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness :
What Parents Need to Know
About In the Night Kitchen
Parents need to know that this story raised a minor furor when it was published 30 years ago because it showed a little boy's penis (hardly graphic, just a loop of a line) -- which served only to draw attention to this marvelous picture book. Sendak's artwork is boldly expressive and adds to the story's momentum. The unpredictability of the language will challenge older kids.
Read our full review by Peter Lewis
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about Mickey's nighttime journey. What lures him into the kitchen in the first place? What makes him want to keep exploring the strange nighttime landscape?
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Most Recent Reviews
Lives in UtahI rate this title on for age 2 and give itOne of my favorite children's books!
- Lives in CaliforniaI rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Kind of a weird book...
- Lives in MissouriI rate this title on for age 5 and give it
I remember reading it when I was a child
When I was a child this was on my list of most favorite titles. I can see how some people such as those who have never traveled out of the US would see this as containing inapropriate material. So Mikey is naked in this book...Big Deal!!! It is the way we were created. This book is clean and aprpriate for children of all ages.
- Lives inI rate this title off for age 11 and give it
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