Overview and Outcomes:

In this five-stage Story Sapling, children discover a destructive trail left by a wild thing and a sack with a note to return the items to Max. Children investigate and label the items. They then begin to read Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. They spot the wild things introducing themselves to Max and decide to write down their wild thing names, exploring the CVC words they can make using letter tiles. Children read about Max taking part in the wild rumpus and act out the verbs the wild things perform. They then use the verbs in guides to be a wild thing. Seeing that Max is upset and lonely, children consider how to cheer people up and make them feel included, they write a note to Max as a message in a bottle.Finally, children retell then innovate the story, creating their own version.

Synopsis of Text:

One night Max puts on his wolf suit and makes mischief of one kind and another, so his mother calls him 'Wild Thing' and sends him to bed without his supper. That night a forest begins to grow in Max's room and an ocean rushes by with a boat to take Max to the place where the wild things are. Max tames the wild things and crowns himself as their king, and then the wild rumpus begins. But when Max has sent the monsters to bed, and everything is quiet, he starts to feel lonely and realises it is time to sail home to the place where someone loves him best of all.

Text Rationale:

This classic text is widely considered one of the most important picture books for children and has had many different adaptations since first being published in 1963, including an animation, a live action film and even an opera. Multi-award winning, prolific author and illustrator Maurice Sendak has a distinctive and iconic stye and this text is the one he is most known for. This book has links to PSHE, exploring behavioural expectations, coping with strong emotions and the power of the imagination.

Links and Themes:

Inside outside, wild things, lost & found, home

Date written: June 2026