BP MARKOWITZ STATEMENT ON PASSING OF BROOKLYN-BORN WRITER, ILLUSTRATOR MAURICE SENDAK
"For the second time in five days, Brooklyn has lost one of great creative minds--Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys last Friday and, earlier today, Brooklyn-born children's writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak. Sendak grew up in Bensonhurst and graduated Lafayette High School before going on to create wildly popular works--often dark and with an edge--like Where the Wild Things Are, which won him the prestigious Caldecott Medal. Even before his passing, the Brooklyn Book Festival had planned to honor Mr. Sendak with a special bookmark given to attendees at this year's festival on September 23, a fitting tribute from Brooklyn--the Creative Capital of New York City and home to more writers per square inch than anywhere--to one of its native sons. On behalf of literary lovers throughout Brooklyn and beyond, I extend our thoughts and prayers to Maurice Sendak's family, friends and colleagues."
