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CHENEY, Wash. - Eastern Washington University Libraries is one of 40 libraries nationwide selected to host "In a Nutshell: The Worlds of Maurice Sendak," a traveling exhibition opening in late October at the JFK Library on EWU's Cheney campus and on display for seven weeks. The exhibit reveals the push and pulls of New and Old Worlds in Sendak's work and shows how his artistic journey has led him deeper into his own family's history and his Jewish identity.

Maurice Sendak is best known as the illustrator of more than 100 picture books, including Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen. He was born to Polish immigrants in Brooklyn in 1928, and his childhood was typically American in a number of ways. At the same time, he became fascinated as a child with the worn black-and-white photographs of his European relatives, and the influence of both of these worlds - the threads of Jewish family, geography and culture - can be seen in his imaginative works.

The exhibit is an exploration of Sendak's illustrations and picture books, revealing connections between these iconic works and his childhood, family and the popular culture of the time. The colorful exhibit panels feature illustrations of ferocious creatures, curious children and vibrant neighborhoods, alongside thematic explorations of the Jewish culture and history - and Sendak's own family experience - that influenced his work.

"In a Nutshell" was organized by the Rosenbach Museum & Library, Philadelphia, and developed by Nextbook, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Jewish literature, culture and ideas, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The national tour of the exhibit has been made possible by grants from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Righteous Persons Foundation, the David Berg Foundation and an anonymous donor, with additional support from Tablet Magazine: A New Read on Jewish Life. The exhibit was curated by Patrick Rodgers of the Rosenbach Museum & Library.

Eastern Washington University Libraries is sponsoring free programs and other events for the public in connection with the exhibition. Contact Nadean Meyer at 509.359.4262 or nmeyer@ewu.edu or visit http://research.ewu.edu/sendak for more information. "In a Nutshell: The Worlds of Maurice Sendak" will be on display at the JFK Library, Oct. 28 - Dec. 15.

(Persons with special needs may make arrangements for accommodations by calling Janice at 359.2264 one week prior to the exhibit)

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