Psychology student, Rebecca Brech ’20, provides an exact ASL “Where the Wild Things Are” translation:
One night boy named Max put on wolf suit. Had big ears, whiskers, buttons going down the front, and a large tail.
Max made mischief of one kind or another.
Max’s mom looked at him. “You wild animal!”
Max looked at her. “I’ll eat you up!”
Max’s mom, to Max: “Go to bed! No dinner!”
Max huffs, goes back to his room and sits there. He sees trees sprouting up, vines forming on the ceiling. The room bursts open to a wide horizon.
A boat sits on the water with Max’s name on the side. Max hopes in and sets sail.
He sails all day and all night. He sails weeks and weeks and weeks, a whole year. Sails till he arrives where the wild animals are.
When Max gets there, the wild animals see Max and roar, gnash their teeth, roll their eyes, and show their claws.
Max looks at them. “Stop!” He stops them with a magic trick. Looks at each of their yellow eyes, not blinking.
The wild animals to Max: “You’re the most wild! You’re the king!”
Max agrees. “Now start the wild celebration!”
They dance, swing from trees, ride on their backs.
Max gets upset. “Stop! No dinner. Go to bed.”
They leave, confused.
Max sits, thinking. He’s realizes he’s lonely. He wants someone who will love him. Wafting in, Max smells home – dinner. He wants home.
He takes off his crown.
Wild animals: “Please don’t! Please don’t go! We love you!”
Max: “No.”
The wild animals roar, gnash their teeth, roll their eyes, and show their claws.
Max got in his boat, waved goodbye. Sailed a year. Sailed weeks and weeks and weeks. Sailed all day and all night. He arrived at his bedroom.
He sees dinner waiting for him, still hot.
Rebecca did such a wonderful job with one of my daughters (now adults!) favorite childhood books. It is terrific that Maria offers American Sign Language courses. This takes me back! I remember my own ASL class taken in my undergraduate studies. I presented song, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.” Laura Cooper, Maria’s ASL instructor – this is a great example or your, and your students skills and talents!
Submitted by Barbara Ruslander on