Tomi Ungerer Interviews

Children's book creator Tomi Ungerer is the subject of a new documentary whose title is FAR OUT ISN'T FAR ENOUGH is one of Ungerer's favorite sayings.

It's also the title of his autobiographical book about the year he spent living on an island in Nova Scotia. A fascinating book about roughing it.

He's not as well known today as his contemporary and friend Maurice Sendak. This is because in the 1970s, he created some erotica (he drew the Kama Sutra, except with frogs -- yes, frogs). This caused American publishers to drop him and let his books go out of print.

Maurice Sendak said of his friend:

"I learned to be braver than I was. I think that's why WHERE THE WILDS THINGS ARE was partly Tomi — his energy, his spirit. I'm proud of the fact that we helped change the scene in America so that children were dealt with like the intelligent little animals we know they are."

NPR has an interview with Tomi Ungerer here. It runs about 38 minutes and it's fascinating.

And there's even more:

Burgin Streetman also has an interview with him at her Vintage Kids' Book My Kid Loves blog. Part one is here, with another two parts to follow.