--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once a little boy sent me a charming card…" description: "\"Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/maurice-sendak-1273_answers_once-a-little-boy-sent-me-a-charming-car_2857503.jpg" --- # Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little… ![“Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter…” quote by Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/maurice-sendak-1273_answers_once-a-little-boy-sent-me-a-charming-car_2857503.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/maurice-sendak-1273_answers_once-a-little-boy-sent-me-a-charming-car_2857503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/maurice-sendak-1273_answers_once-a-little-boy-sent-me-a-charming-car_2857503.jpg) > “Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.” [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child's sincere appreciation of a simple drawing, even eating it, shows pure joy and love beyond artistic value. **In simple terms:** Kids love things simply, without judgment. Key Takeaway Value genuine affection over perfection. Themes childhood innocence creativity love Mood warm nostalgic Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - art education - gift giving Key Concepts authenticity simple joy parent-child bond Questions to Reflect On - How do we honor simple gestures? - What does 'eating' a gift mean? A Different Perspective It may romanticize overindulgence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Little boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-boys/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Wild things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wild-things/) ## Related quotes > [There's a book called 'Where The Wild Things Are,' by American writer Maurice Sendak... it really is the most sublime book. It's a picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-base/there-s-a-book-called-where-the-wild-things-are-by-american-writer/) [Graeme Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-base/) > [I was lucky enough to know Maurice Sendak, and talked to him about doing the movie. For a while, I was really apprehensive of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/i-was-lucky-enough-to-know-maurice-sendak-and-talked-to-him-about/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > [The fact that Maurice Sendak said, "This is something that I made at your age, this was something that was personal to me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/the-fact-that-maurice-sendak-said-this-is-something-that-i-made-at/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > [I've always loved the wild rumpus in 'Where the Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak, because the words disappear, the pictures take up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/i-ve-always-loved-the-wild-rumpus-in-where-the-wild-things-are-by/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [I've always just loved drawing and loved cartoons. Growing up, I loved Disney films, I loved The Simpsons, and I was a big fan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/i-ve-always-just-loved-drawing-and-loved-cartoons-growing-up-i-loved/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [If you ask anyone in animation, how long they've been into animation, they'll pretty much always tell you that it's since they can remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/if-you-ask-anyone-in-animation-how-long-they-ve-been-into-animation-2/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [I grew up with probably three different authors having a seminal influence on my childhood, Dr. Seuss being one and Maurice Sendak being another.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-meledandri/i-grew-up-with-probably-three-different-authors-having-a-seminal-2/) [Christopher Meledandri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-meledandri/) > [I grew up with probably three different authors having a seminal influence on my childhood, Dr. Seuss being one and Maurice Sendak being another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-meledandri/i-grew-up-with-probably-three-different-authors-having-a-seminal/) [Chris Meledandri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-meledandri/) > [Maurice Sendak is the daddy of them all when it comes to picture books - the words, the rhythm, the psychology, the design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-browne/maurice-sendak-is-the-daddy-of-them-all-when-it-comes-to-picture/) [Anthony Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-browne/) > [Maurice Sendak never - I remember he said something that was very striking because it's something I never thought about. I always loved his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/maurice-sendak-never-i-remember-he-said-something-that-was-very/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > ['James and the Giant Peach' magnificently starts out Dahl's career as a blithe and droll Bad Uncle corrupter and affirmer of youth. Its influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-di-filippo/james-and-the-giant-peach-magnificently-starts-out-dahl-s-career-as-a/) [Paul Di Filippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-di-filippo/) > [Then from far away across the world he smelled good things to eat, so he gave up being king of the wild things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/then-from-far-away-across-the-world-he-smelled-good-things-to-eat-so/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I wanted my wild things to be frightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-wanted-my-wild-things-to-be-frightening/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/there-are-so-many-beautiful-things-in-the-world-which-i-will-have-to/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I know that if there’s a purpose for life, it was for me to hear Mozart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-know-that-if-there-s-a-purpose-for-life-it-was-for-me-to-hear-mozart/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) ## More by Maurice Sendak > [I never thought of Bumble-Ardy in that way. But I still have that same deep feeling for children who are in dire trouble. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-never-thought-of-bumble-ardy-in-that-way-but-i-still-have-that-same/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I was a very sickly child. My parents were immigrants. They were not decorous. They were not discreet. They always thought I was gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-was-a-very-sickly-child-my-parents-were-immigrants-they-were-not/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [The distinctions of fine art bore me to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/the-distinctions-of-fine-art-bore-me-to-death/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [The fan mail I get from kids are asking me questions which they do not ask their mothers and fathers. Because if they had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/the-fan-mail-i-get-from-kids-are-asking-me-questions-which-they-do/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [“May I ask what you have in your black leather bag with gold buckles?" "Everything." They were climbing a narrow staircase. Rhoda stopped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/may-i-ask-what-you-have-in-your-black-leather-bag-with-gold-buckles/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I grew up in a house that was in a constant state of mourning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-grew-up-in-a-house-that-was-in-a-constant-state-of-mourning/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [Illustrations have as much to say as the text. The trick is to say the same thing, but in a different way. It's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/illustrations-have-as-much-to-say-as-the-text-the-trick-is-to-say-the/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I'm a lucky buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-m-a-lucky-buck/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I've convinced myself - I hope I'm right - that children despair of you if you don't tell them the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-ve-convinced-myself-i-hope-i-m-right-that-children-despair-of-you/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [It's no fun being lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/it-s-no-fun-being-lonely/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [It dawned on me that art was the way I could survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/it-dawned-on-me-that-art-was-the-way-i-could-survive/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I cry a lot because I miss people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-cry-a-lot-because-i-miss-people/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [You cannot write for children They're much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/you-cannot-write-for-children-they-re-much-too-complicated-you-can/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [All I liked to do when I was a kid was draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/all-i-liked-to-do-when-i-was-a-kid-was-draw/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I'm still as enamored and turned on by work as I was when I was young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-m-still-as-enamored-and-turned-on-by-work-as-i-was-when-i-was-young/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) [Explore all 262 Maurice Sendak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. 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