Where the Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak takes about 3 minutes to read aloud (336 words, about 1 sentence a page), and it lands best with children aged 3-6.
Measured read-aloud timeabout 3 minutes
- Words
- 336
- Sentences a page
- 1
- Re-read tolerance
- 5/5still fine on the fortieth reading
- Vocabulary
- 3/5a few new words
Check Where the Wild Things Are on AmazonAffiliate link
The useful verdict
Why Where the Wild Things Are works
It takes a child's rage seriously, gives it an island to run around on for three wordless spreads, and then brings him home to supper that is still hot - which is the only ending an angry four-year-old actually wants. The wild rumpus pages are where you put the book down and let them roar.
Before you buy it
The monsters frighten a good number of under-fours, and Max being sent to bed without supper reads as harsh to modern parents.
Themes: anger, imagination, monsters, coming home.
Same shape, new story
Books like Where the Wild Things Are
Matched by length, refrain, sentence density, and listener—not just subject.
When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry...about 1.5 minutes · 4/5 re-read
The Gruffaloabout 6 minutes · 5/5 re-read
Llama Llama Mad at Mamaabout 3.5 minutes · 4/5 re-read
Grumpy Monkeyabout 4.5 minutes · 4/5 re-read
Owl Babiesabout 3 minutes · 5/5 re-read
Go Away, Big Green Monster!about 1 minute · 5/5 re-read
Creepy Carrots!about 4 minutes · 4/5 re-read
Journeyunder a minute · 5/5 re-read
Oliviaabout 3 minutes · 5/5 re-read
Straight answers
Questions parents ask about Where the Wild Things Are
- How long does it take to read Where the Wild Things Are aloud?
- About 3 minutes at an unhurried pace, from a word count of 336. Reading it fast shaves perhaps a third off; stopping for questions on every page can double it.
- What age is Where the Wild Things Are actually for?
- Ages 3-6 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 1 sentence a page and vocabulary at 3 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
- Does Where the Wild Things Are survive being read on repeat?
- Yes - this is one of the few that is still fine on the fortieth reading, which is why it scores 5 out of 5 with us.