The late Maurice Sendak, American author and illustrator, will be the topic of the book discussion at the County Library at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19. Sendak is critically recognized as the leading children’s book illustrator of the 20th century .

For 50 years, his contributions changed children’s literature from a neat secure nursery of predictable outcomes to a world of bossy, headstrong and very real children. Sendak also illustrated the work of other authors, Hans Christian Andersen, Herman Melville, and Isaac Bashevis Singer. His work has had second lives on stage and screen as operas, plays, animated films. Sendak’s work has been the subject of major exhibitions, and countless awards. He was awarded the National Medal of the Arts in 1996. Twenty-two of his titles have been named Best Illustrated Book of the Year by the New York Times.

Book discussions are held monthly on the third Tuesday. For a list of upcoming titles, contact the library (297-2436) during library hours.