Shel Silverstein Books

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me
Anything can happen, child
ANYTHING can be.
~ pg. 27

I first heard about Shel Silverstein in a strange way. One of his poems is about Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout and LUSH beauty products has a shampoo with the same name. When I looked the name up online I found the amusing poem about a girl who never takes out the garbage.

These poems are at times laugh-out-loud funny and at times delightfully silly. There are quirky drawings throughout that make the poems even more enjoyable. One minute you are laughing and the next you are having memories of Alice in Wonderland or other books you read as a child like The Little Engine that Could. The only poem I question is "Dreadful" but I suppose some people think it is funny.

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And There the grass grows soft and while,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
~ pg. 64

A few of the poems struck me as especially profound while the poem about the Giraffe was very creative. After reading this collection I'll definitely look for more books by Shel Silverstein. While these poems may have been written for children they can be enjoyed by anyone from 9 to 120.

~The Rebecca Review

Nothing I could write here would explain how great of a book you are about to purchase. All I can say is... I loved it as a child and my son loves it. Stop wasting time and buy it now!!

let me just say first off (and some of you may boo at me for this) that i am not a big fan of poetry, especially those that don't rhyme, layered with so much metaphor wrapped in some sort of old english language. those of you who can appreciate those, know i'm more than eager to submit in the "im not worthy! im not worthy!" throes. call it barbaric or just plain shallow, but i'd rather stick to the sing-songy rhymes of my elementary days.

now, saying that i absolutely loved Where the Sidewalk Ends should not be construed as a statement that Silverstein's work is shallow. piddling my knowledge might be about bodies of poetry, in whatever form, this one thing i am sure of: that though this book can be read to kids (and [gasp!] can actually be understood and enjoyed by them), it somehow still manages to deliver punchlines that could draw forth a surprised smile or chuckle from an adult--at least those not totally drowning in cynicism or morbid depression. but who knows...

a lot of the poetry here are funny (not outright hilarious, more like plain goofy), and yet come to think of it, still some of those are actually quite sad, with undertones about life and life experiences we take for granted. like the "Snowman", "Invention", "What's in the Sack?", "I Won't Hatch!", "The Garden", "The Little Blue Engine", and even the subtly poignant "Love".

whether you actively seek a moral in any of the poems or just want to go for some light reading, this book (in my opinion) is sure to leave you with a wistful feeling. exactly about what...well, i can't say. but i loved it. and for me that's more than okay.

Got it for my girlfriend.. she loves it. I had never read it before and the poems are very cute, for both kids and adults. I highly recommend it.

Shel Silverstein's poems are so enjoyable because they are fun but also touch on the realities of life. Along with the fun poetry are some great illustrations!

I bought Where the Sidewalk Ends for my boys when they were little.We had so much fun reading,laughing and talking about all the fabulous poems and drawings.My boys have passed Shel's books on to their children.I have bought so many copies of Where the Sidewalk Ends,as a gift for a new baby.I always get lots of smiles from the new parents.It's a great way to start baby's library.Little kids and adults alike love this book!Shel may be gone, but his genius lives on in his heart warming books and illustrations!

I love the poems and would walk around reading them to whoever would listen. It helped me a lot, as I had learning disabilities. Shel Silversteins rhymes are delightful. I bought copies to give to friend's children...

Our review is for the book Where The Sidewalk Ends. The author and illustrator is Shel Silverstein. The gernre is funny poetry.
This is one of the many great poetry books Shel Silverstein wrote. If you love amusing books and you love poetry then you'll love Where The Side Walks Ends. There are humorous long poems like Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out or short ones like warning or hat. If you want to hear more terrific poems you'll have to read it. It's a good one I promise.
Shel Silverstein wants us to laugh and have fun. Don't be up tight be able to laugh your head off. It's on our 4th grade class's top ten because the poems are hilariously funny. I'm sure you'll agree when you read it.

Lately I have been purchasing books for my 9 month old baby. I want her to enjoy reading as much as I do, and have been collecting books that I loved growing up. As soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to have it. She is still a little young to truly appreciate it, but I am having a blast reading the poems that I enjoyed as I child. Definitely a "must have" for everyone.

My five year old cannot get enough of Shel Silverstein. He reads 10 or more poems out loud every day and has memorized several of them. This is our favorite collection of poems. They are funny, clever, imaginative. Even the illustrations are excellent. You can read them and then read them over and over again. The extra poems in the back are a great addition. Highly recommended.

This book belongs in every child's shelf. When I read it with my children I am transported anew.

Falliing is such a great book just like Shel's other books. I have so much fun reading it to my children. This is a wonderful collection of poetry for children. This is the perfect example of what children's books should be... fun.
Another must have book for any fan of Shel Silverstein is Boety by Beau Beaudoin. His books are often compared to Shel, Dr. Seuss and Tim Burton. What my kids love about his illustrations are they are in color.Boetry

This is a great book like all Silverstains books:
Where the Sidewalk Ends 30th Anniversary Edition: Poems and Drawings
The Giving Tree
A Giraffe and a Half

Another author tha I love is Nowiki:
Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2

Review of Falling Up

The poem book Falling Up is a very good book. In the book the poems are about a mix of things including important lessons and funny things. Shel Silverstein did a very good job with his books and all of the books he wrote. Falling Up is by far my favorite poem book by Shel Silverstein.

Three poems that really caught my attention are "Gardener", "Spoiled Brat", and "The Toy Eater". I like "Gardener" because it is just a funny poem about a kid making a mistake. "Spoiled Brat" is an example of a life lesson that is very well written. I thought "The Toy Eater" is a great poem about making a little kid believe something that isn't true. All of these poems are very good examples of great imagination.

My favorite poem is "Obedient". This is a good poem because it is a life lesson and a funny poem. The life lesson is that when you do something there is a consequence and in this person's case they got a taste of their own medicine. This poem is funny because the poem takes the order literally by staying in the place for forty years. "Obedient" is a really great poem so I recommend that everyone should read it.

I think this book is a very entertaining, page turning book of poems. It is a great book for all ages, I highly recommend this book.

To be frank, I get a kick out of Silverstein's work. It is always a bit quirky, always takes a couple of readings to really "get," and is very entertaining while being quite insightful as to human nature. This work is no different from his other works, same quality, same odd way of looking at life, same delightful black and white drawings. Publisher's Weekly got it pretty right here, in their usual, rather snotty way, which is one of the few reviews I have ever agreed with them on. (except their little shot at some of his art that they felt may no be appropriate for kids...obviously the author of that review has never been around kids very much). This work consists of 171 pages of poetry rhymes and drawings. I first read Silverstein in Playboy magazine years and years ago when I wasted my time with such publications. I did not particularly care for him them, but over the years have developed quite a like for his work. I truely love this book and do highly recommend it.

First, I want to be clear that this review pertains to the CD that comes with Runny Babbit. My 7-year-old son checked the Runny Babbit book from the library, and we read it and loved it. We'd pause to figure out what the words "should be." When he received money for his birthday, he wanted to buy a copy of the book. I made the mistake of suggesting he purchase the book that comes with the CD. THE CD IS AWFUL!!! The narrator sounds like he has a head cold and should have called in a sick day, but showed up at the studio anyway. There are only 12 poems on the CD, and it only runs about 10 minutes. (I know, that's like the joke about the restaurant that served lousy food, and such small servings!!! But it adds to the feeling of being completely ripped off by the CD.) It is not worth buying!!! Just buy the book without the CD and either read it to your child aloud or have your child read it; the experience will be much more worthwhile.

This book is the last that Shel Silverstien wrote, it took him twenty years.When you see how this book is written, you will understand why it took him so long. After he died his family compiled the entire thing as a project of love.
I highly recommend this read, my children love it and it is eduactional. Since it is all backwords, it forces children to think about every word and how it should be instead of how it is. It is fun to read as is and switch around and read as it should be. I had to add this to my children's collection, since it is a one of a kind and Shel's final book.

This book had my son rolling on the floor with laughter. There's one poem in particular that we have to read every time we open the book. It never fails to get his funny bone. I would recommend this for children who are reading. Younger children will probably not get the humor intended.

Do you like jokes? Well I've got just what you're looking for. READ Runny Babbit. It is the funniest book ever. Instead of saying all the right things he says all the wrong things like "here is my bat" insead of "where is my hat". It is so funny. Read to find out why the book is funny. You will love this book. So READ IT! Recommended for kids who love jokes.

In a wave of nosthalgia, I bought this Shel Silvertein book. As a little kid I loved "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and the other works. This has to be the best, though.

While obviously it is a children's book, adults love it, too. It tickles the tongue and the spirit. When I took it to the office we took turns reading from it and laughed silly. It really lightened the atmosphere.

Also a warning: You will me tompelled, no cempted to wange you chords after beading this rook.

I absolutely love this book. It has such a great message, and I agree with a lot of the other reviewers that the message is wonderful for both kids and adults.

The illustrations are wonderfully simple, and I really like how there are few words per page. This book makes for a great read aloud book for pre-schoolers. I read this book recently in front of my class of 4 and 5-year-olds and they clapped at the triumphant ending of the book...they were so happy for the missing piece!

Shel Silverstein's representation of human relationships and the many "holes" that people often have is very astute. I think the subtleties of the different personalities might be over the head of children, but most adults will see just how spot on he is.

I really really can't celebrate this book enough.

This classic book was really written for children, but it has a powerful message for people of all ages!

The drawings are simple but effective, and the story is one that we all can relate to. The Missing Piece starts out alone and is looking for someone or something to complete it. By the end of the story, The Missing Piece realizes he doesn't need anyone to complete him. He is already complete.

This is a very quick read that can help build the confidence of a young child, and can help adults regain the confidence they may have lost somewhere along the way!

This was a gift to me after a divorce. The content is simple yet profound and I love to share it with my children in hopes that they too will know that relationships are at their healthiest when people are whole and complete, rather than half of a whole like a friendship necklace (to the chagrin of tweeners everywhere!) ;) I now share this with others who are going through relationship troubles or struggle with their self-worth.

A person who was one of the most influential in my life gave this to me as a gift. After reading the book, the gesture impacted me that much more. I buy this for anyone that means something to me. This type of book should be shared by all. Silverstein is a master who I still feel isn't talked about enough.

Don't forget 'The Missing Piece'!

I LOVE this book. What a simple way of viewing the process of breakups and of finding meaningful relationships! Great for readers of all ages.

Have you ever felt like you were torn between two worlds? Like, you want to fit in with this one group of new friends but in order to do that you kind of have to leave your old friends behind? Because the new friends and old friends are in way different places? Yeah. Same with Lafcadio.

He wants to be a good lion. He does. But then he gets all wrapped up in the world of humans. And the world of humans is not as simple as the world of lions, is it? No, it is not. So he can do some fun things, like have a marshmallow coat made for him because he just LOVES marshmallows, but life is not all marshmallows and roses. Lafcadio loses his identity. And at the end, he's conflicted about which world is his real home.

This is an awesome story about knowing your true self and being the person (or lion) you know you should be.

"'Make up your mind,' they all said together, and poor Lafcadio the Great, he couldn't make up his mind; he wasn't really a lion anymore, and he certainly wasn't really a man..."

Lafcadio is a wonderful book about trying to figure out who you want to be and then, finally, who you are. I give this to every graduating high school senior who appreciates metaphor.

I hadn't heard of this book until a few years ago, when I came upon it and read a few pages in the bookstore. WOW!!! Although I appreciate Shel Silverstein's other stories and poems, nothing at all is like this one. And, that's a disappointment, because after reading this one to my children, we wanted MORE.

In my kids' schools, the Giving Tree was always considered such a classic, and praised as such. Lafcadio? Never mentioned! How disappointing, and oh, what those students are missing. Lafcadio isn't even in the school's library catalogue!

Lafcadio tells the story of a lion who comes to the city and becomes a gentleman--losing his lionly ways. But, Shel Silverstein tells this story so hilariously, I can barely read it aloud without laughing hysterically. I used to read this to my son, and literally could not get the words out without laughing uncontrollably. This, of course, caused my son to laugh as heartily without even knowing why. . . begging me to stop laughing and to tell him what was so funny. Lafcadio is an experience, that's for sure!

That said, this isn't a completely gentle book. It's probably the only book I've read to the kids that talked about eating people--and, made eating people funny. However, the unexpected quirkiness of the story is also what made it so hilarious. This is really a classic. Your kids will love it and you will love it.

This book is about a lion named Lafcadio, who learnt to shoot using a gun and began shooting back at hunters - hence the name of the book! The story started when Lafcadio got hold of a hunter's gun and began learning to shoot. He practiced shooting day and night, and he got better and better as the days go by. He is never short of ammunition. To get more ammunition, he just eats up hunters who come into the jungle !!

Then one day, a man from the circus came and offered him a job in the circus. He accepted it with the condition that he get lots and lots of MARSHMALLOWS !!

So, off goes Lafcadio to the city. At the city, Lafcadio tried many different things. He had a haircut at a barbershop. He had a suit made of MARSHMALLOWS for him. And as the days passes, he came more and more human. He learnt to dance, swim and even bowl..

The story is full of wit. If you are looking for a gift for your little one, I would highly recommend this book!

I discovered this treasure after reading Shel's poetry books to the kids. I read it to them on a long flight across the country and had the people in the seats around me listening in discreetly. It has some great morals and gems in it. About knowing who you are inside and finding your way in this world. And about the absurdity of hunting from the lion's point of view. The kids just love the bit about every lion having their own hunter's rug.

I am a preschool teacher for four year olds. There is nothing better than having a group of children completely engaged in a book, laughing over it and finishing my sentences. This book was asked for again and again and is a class favorite. It is a great introduction to rhyme and poetry. I think we all have it almost memorized!

Recommended by a teacher and read by a teacher the first time to grandson. High marks and great interaction by grandson who's three.

i neice LOVES this book! a classic for me and now i can pass it on to her...aaahhhh!

"Giraffe and a Half", like all other Silverstein's books, belongs to my favorite book. Silverstein's rhymes and poems, songs and riddles work for everybody with a degree of imagination. I read it to my youngest brother so often that he began memorizing it... Another great book that I got for last Christmas is Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2 by B. Nowiki. Nowiki is totally different then Silvestein, but she also has a great gift of teaching us the best moral values while at the same time keeping the story captivating.

Read this to my Kindergarten students and before I got halfway through the book they were "helping" me read it! They ask for it often. What better recommendation could there be?!?!?!

I love this story! I gave it as a gift this time and the recipient also loved it!

This is the best childrens book ever written. I have three children and it is their favorite. They are grown now and picked this book to send to my younger niece and nephew. I volunteer at an elementary school for their reading program and all the kids love it. My wife has read it many times and still can't get thru it without crying. It is a very touching book.

This is a book that I had as a kid and try to give it to everyone I know with children. The selfless love this tree demonstrates and the little boy who doesn't understand until he is much older, is a wonderful story we should all keep in our hearts

This isn't just a great children's book, its a great story. I read this for the first time at age 22 and was deeply touched. I actually bought it for myself, not as a gift. It is a story I want to read to my children one day.

This book gets 4 stars, and the only reason it doesn't get 5 is because I HATE the cover. I was anticipating the gift page to be on the inside of the book, but it is actually the cover. The gift tag is overwhelming compared to the picture I grew up with, and I'm contimplating removing the protective cover all together when I give it as a gift, because it is SOOOO ugly.

The only thing better than reading this book is meeting the author herself. Her book makes the ordinary - extraordinary. It will make your day sing.

An excellent book that offers hope and encouragement for humanity. Remember When gives gifts of inspiration and nostalgia by connecting current generations with those yet to come. Remarkable!

Everyone will enjoy this beautifully illustrated, enchanting tale about the fundamentals of life; relationships, optimism, perseverance and love.

This is an awesome book to use for homeschooling! It helps to teach in a fun way!

Although this book was written with teachers in mind as the reader, it is very useful for parents as well. I think every teacher for this age group should definitely have this book. And as a parent who wants to be intimately involved in my child's education and literary growth, I'm thrilled to have the book as a resource. It has great, fun games and activity ideas for many of Shel Silverstein's writings. The activities are simple enough that I don't feel intimidated to follow through with doing them (instead of just reading about it). The games and activities are simple and explained concisely. I enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to using several of the ideas when my daughter is a little older (and reading).