Where the Wild Things Are

While the book Where the Wild Things Are conveys a certain magic for readers of all ages, the story is especially enchanting for young children. I can remember when my oldest daughter was just two years old we read that book all the time, and she began to memorize it. I will never forget the day she stated, "the ceiling hung with vines, and the walls became the world all around."

To hear such a sophisticated and poetic phrase come out of such a tiny girl who was still in the midst of learning to talk was a huge moment for me, and I remember thinking that Where the Wild Things Are was a very special book. Now we will have the chance to see the profound little story adapted to the big screen, but the movie may not hit home to quite the same audience as the book does.

"I didn't set out to make a children's movie; I set out to make a movie about childhood," relates director Spike Jonze in the production notes of the film. His declaration brings to mind other films like Bridge to Terabithia or Imagine That -- both decent films about children and childhood, but which confused many parents who ended up regretting their decision to take their kids -- and I have to wonder if I should take my kids to Where the Wild Things Are without previewing it first.

It seems strange to think that the movie might be too grown up for my little 6-year-old who loves the story so much and had it memorized years ago. I am going to chance it with this one and take the kids anyway. I'll definitely be posting an update on how that turns out.