In the Night Kitchen is a popular and controversial children's
picture book, written and illustrated by
Maurice Sendak, and first published in 1970. The book depicts a young boy's dream journey through a
surreal baker's kitchen where he assists in the creation of a cake to be ready by the morning.
In the Night Kitchen has been described by Sendak as part of a trilogy of books based on psychological development from
In the Night Kitchen (toddler) to
Where the Wild Things Are (pre-school) to
Outside Over There (pre-adolescent). It was a
Caldecott Honor recipient in 1971. It was adapted into a 5-minute animated short film in 1987 by
Gene Deitch.