UF expert on the work of Maurice Sendak available for interviews

May 8, 2012

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida English professor John Cech (“check”) is available for interviews about the life and work of noted children’s book author Maurice Sendak, who died today at age 83 in Danbury, Conn.

Cech and Sendak were friends for more than 40 years. Cech is the author of “Angels and Wild Things: The Archetypal Poetics of Maurice Sendak” (1994), the definitive analysis of Sendak’s work. Cech is also the author of numerous children’s books influenced by Sendak.

Cech is director of UF’s Center for the Study of Children’s Literature & Culture. For many years he hosted “Recess!,” a daily radio program about children’s culture.

Cech’s articles and reviews have appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, The New York Times Book Review, Parabola and The Washington Post.

Cech can be reached at 352-378-2207 or jcech@ufl.edu.

Television talkback or radio ISDN interviews can be arranged by calling 352-273-2272 or emailing rerickson@jou.ufl.edu.