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Author Maurice Sendak.

Author Maurice Sendak died in Connecticut this morning, 83. Sendak was by most accounts the most important children's book artist of all-time.

Though Sendak was most known for "Where The Wild Things Are," which told the story of the mischievous little boy named Max who travels to a strange monster filled world, he wrote dozens of other books.

Before Sendak, children's books were much different — with books like "Charlotte's Web" painting a much brighter world for kids. Sendak instead built characters with darker struggles, which resonated with audiences during the '60s and '70s.

Guest:

Ellen Handler Spitz, children's book editor at The New Republic magazine.