This article analyzes the late Maurice Sendak’s (1928–2012) entry into the field of children’s picture books in the midtwentieth century and his contribution to the affective shift in children’s literature. It examines Sendak’s complex social position and artistic development in the 1940s and 1950s, as well as lesser-known illustrations by Sendak, including collaborations with Ruth Krauss and with the artist’s brother, Jack. These works began to respond to Sendak’s own childhood as a queer son of Eastern European Yiddish-speaking immigrants. They also offered new potential mirrors for midcentury children—perhaps especially queer and otherwise marginalized children—as they navigated cultural gaps between home and the public sphere, as well as between personal orientations and the social pressures of postwar America.

本文分析了莫里斯·森达克（Maurice Sendak）（1928–2012）在20世纪中叶进入儿童图画书领域的过程，以及他对儿童文学情感转变的贡献。它考察了Sendak在1940年代和1950年代的复杂社会地位和艺术发展，以及Sendak鲜为人知的插图，包括与露丝·克劳斯（Ruth Krauss）和艺术家兄弟杰克（Jack）的合作。这些作品开始回应Sendak的童年时代，他是东欧讲以意第绪语的移民的酷儿。他们还为世纪中叶的孩子提供了新的可能的镜子，尤其是酷儿和边缘化的孩子，因为他们可以克服家庭与公共领域之间，以及个人取向与战后美国社会压力之间的文化鸿沟。