Where the Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are is a picture book by Maurice Sendak, first published by Harper & Row in the United States in 1963. Max sails to an island of monsters who crown him king. It won the 1964 Caldecott Medal; The Bodley Head published it in Britain in 1967.
- Editions tracked
- 2
- First edition
- Harper & Row, 1963
- First published
- Harper & Row, United States, 1963
- First UK edition
- The Bodley Head, 1967
- Worth
- Not yet valued
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Harper & Row1963 Hardback Not yet valued Log in to want this
Later and other editions
- Bodley Head Children's Books1967 Hardback Not yet valued Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Prizes
On screen
- Where the Wild Things Are Film, 2009
From Wikidata. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Maurice Sendak
Questions about Where the Wild Things Are
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of Where the Wild Things Are?
The first edition of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak was published in New York by Harper & Row in 1963.
How many editions of Where the Wild Things Are are there?
We track 2 editions of Where the Wild Things Are, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Did Where the Wild Things Are win any awards?
Yes: Where the Wild Things Are won the Caldecott Medal (1964), according to Wikidata.
Has Where the Wild Things Are been adapted for film or television?
Yes, including Where the Wild Things Are (film, 2009).
How can I tell if my copy of Where the Wild Things Are is a first edition?
Check the title page and its reverse (the copyright page) against the edition: publisher, place and date should match, with no later printing or edition stated. Where we know the issue points, they are listed on the edition's page.
Where these facts come from
- Where the Wild Things Are, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Where the Wild Things Are (Q13912), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
- Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are, first UK edition 1967, John Atkinson Books (johnatkinsonbooks.co.uk)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026.