| Outside Over There | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Maurice Sendak |
| Subject(s) | fiction |
| Pages | 40 |
| ISBN | 0064431851 |
Outside Over There is a 1981 children's book by Maurice Sendak. It concerns a young girl named Ida, who must rescue her baby sister after the child has been stolen by goblins.
Contents |
A young girl named Ida harbors feelings of jealousy and resentment towards her baby sister, for whom she is largely responsible while their father is away. When her sister is kidnapped through the nursery window by mysterious robed goblins, Ida resolves to rescue her, embarking on a fantastic adventure. Initially, Ida is easily distracted from her goal, nearly passing her sister as she becomes absorbed in the magic of the quest. Ultimately, she succeeds in rescuing her baby sister and returning home, now fully committed to the care of her sister until their father returns home.
In the documentary Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak (2009), Sendak describes how, in 1932 (around age 4) he became aware of the sensationalized Lindbergh baby kidnapping case, and saw an early newspaper that featured a photograph of the child's remains. This experience opened an awareness of the mortality and peril of children, which Sendak has expressed through many of his books. This story explicitly draws from the Lindbergh case, in which a child is stolen from its crib through a window, accessed by a ladder. In fact, one of the illustrations of the lost baby is a deliberate portrait of the infant Charles Lindbergh Jr. The theme of a protective sister is drawn from Sendak's own upbringing, in which his older sister was his primary caregiver and devoted playmate.
Recognition for Outside Over There include:
- School Library Journal Best Book
- Caldecott Honor Book
- American Book Award
- Horn Book Fanfare
- National Book Award
- Library of Congress Children's Books
The 1986 film Labyrinth is based on this book, though the main character has been aged up some and it lacks the violent ending.
The book is featured in the 2003 Japanese film Café Lumière. It is used to help the main character, a young Japanese student named Yoko, interpret a dream.
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