Where the Wild Things Are and Five More Stories

Movie review by Sierra Filucci, Common Sense Media
Where the Wild Things Are and Five More Stories Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 4+

Classic Sendak stories with simple animation -- delightful.

NR 2008 54 minutes
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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that children might already be familiar with the stories featured in this collection of short videos based on Maurice Sendak books. The videos are designed to complement, rather than replace, the featured books. In one story, Pierre, the boy behaves very poorly, including being disrespectful toward his parents, and then is eaten by a lion (though he lives to reform his ways). In another story, In the Night Kitchen, the boy briefly appears naked, which might produce some giggles from young viewers.

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What's the Story?

This collection of short videos from the Scholastic Storybook Treasures series features Maurice Sendak stories, including Where the Wild Things Are, about a child's fantasy world where he works out his frustration with being punished; In the Night Kitchen, where a boy imagines he's physically part of making the morning bread; Alligators All Around, One Was Johnny, and Chicken Soup with Rice are all educational (teaching the alphabet, numbers, months, respectively) set to songs performed by Carole King. And Pierre is a cautionary tale about a poorly behaved child whose choices get him eaten by a lion.

Is It Any Good?

These short videos are a delightfully different way to engage children with literature they are familiar with and introduce them to less popular stories. Maurice Sendak books are lovely fantasies for children with sometimes-dark undertones that tap into the not-so-lovely aspects of childhood, like rebellion, anger, mischievousness, and annoyance. The songs by Carole King in four of the shorts are catchy without being annoying, and they're a fun way to get kids learning letters and counting, and thinking about the calendar.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about fantasy. What's going on in Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen? Do you ever imagine that you're someplace different and have special abilities, like flying or ruling over animals?

  • Talk about the idea of "I don't care" that comes up in the Pierre story. Why does Pierre say that? If you sometimes say "I don't care," what are you usually feeling when you say it?

Movie Details

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