In+the+Night+Kitcen


 * Book:** In the Night Kitchen


 * Author:** Maurice Sendak


 * Genre:** Children’s Literature/Picture Book


 * Developmental Age Appropriateness:** If the responsible caregiver is not offended by the nudity, this book is appropriate for very young children preschool age to kindergarten.


 * Book Description**: In this Caldecott Honor awarded picture book the child of the story (Mickey) is depicted floating from panel to panel as he drifts through the fantastic dream world of the bakers' kitchen. Mickey help the bakers prepare the batter for the cake that is to be ready in the morning.


 * Questionable Content:** The child depicted in this story is an anatomically correct nude boy who floats through the night kitchen. Most people’s objection to the book are based on the exposure to nudity, although at least a few posts cited their objection to the book and it’s illustrations as scary to small children (particularly cited was the fat bakers with red noses thought to be creepy) ("Goodreads: In the,").


 * History of Censorship:** The book distressed many educators, librarians and other adults because its young protagonist, Mickey, was illustrated in the nude. Many librarians censored the book by painting diapers over the boy’s genitalia or covering that area with glued on clothes. In some cases the book was even burned.


 * Public Opinion:** Most of those who reviewed this book really liked the book as is evident by 101 of 146 reviews giving the book 5 stars on the #|Amazon website ("Customer reviews,”). Many reviews included statements that they read the story to their very young children and that the children really like the book. Those that object to the book do so on moral grounds because of the nudity ("Nudity a frequent,").

//Customer reviews//. (n.d.). Retrieved from [] //Goodreads: In the night kitchen//. (n.d.). Retrieved from [] //Nudity a frequent target for book challenges//. (n.d.). Retrieved from cbldf.org/2012/10/nudity-a-frequent-target-for-book-challenges/ Sendak, M. (1970). //In the night #|kitchen//. New York, NY: #|Harper Collins.
 * References:**