Children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak wrote and illustrated dozens of books, but made his name with the 1963 story of Max the little boy in, Where The Wild Things Are.
Max was sent to bed without any supper for being naughty only to dream of monsters who think that he - Max - is the scariest thing they've ever seen.
It has a happy ending because when Max wakes up his supper is waiting for him on his bedroom table and it's still hot.
The book is a childhood favourite, so much so, that at last month's Easter egg roll at the White House, US President Barack Obama read it to a group of kids on the lawn.
Some children were absolutely terrified by the monsters in Where The Wild Things Are, others adored them.
'Tattered' life
Sendak, who was a famous, old curmudgeon in real life, always insisted on two things.
One, he would never lie to children.