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.”