Where the Sidewalk Ends

 A book that should be in everyone’s home library is Where the Sidewalk Ends.  It is a 1974 children’s collection of poetry, written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein, published by Harper and Row Publishers. This wonderful book is still in print today.

When I was thinking of a book to review, this one immediately came to mind. I opened it and discovered I have a first edition that was purchased while I was still in college! And it was required reading for a class on children’s literature that really made an impact on me. Moreover, that class set me on a path to becoming a librarian. What a great career it has been!

But, back to the book. This is a classic and timeless work. I loved reading it when I was single, I loved reading it to our kids when they were young, and I still love reading it to our grandchildren. Heck, I even love reading it to myself;-). For example:

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too

Went for a ride in a flying shoe

“Horray!”

“What fun!”

“It’s time we flew!”

Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Who doesn’t smile upon reading the first stanza of this poem? Once every so often we just need to read something silly and this book is full of silly poems.

Now for a little bit about this author:

Shel Silverstein was born in Chicago in 1930. He was a poet, a musician, and a cartoonist.

I was surprised to find out that he wrote the song “A Boy Named Sue” (popularized by Johnny Cash) and “Sylvia’s Mother” (sung by Dr. Hook), in addition to many other popular songs. Click here for a list of the songs he wrote.

He drew cartoons for magazines, including Look and Sports Illustrated, but it was his work for Playboy magazine that gave him national recognition. Also, Silverstein’s cartoons appeared in every issue of Playboy,  from 1957 through the mid-1970s. Wow!

Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974) was his first collection of poetry, followed by The Missing Piece (1976), The  Light in the Attic (1981) and Falling Up (1996).  The Light in the Attic is another of my all-time favorite books.

If you have never read this book or if you have not read it in a while check it out –  because we all need to read something that makes us smile every so often!

Author’s Web Site:

http://www.shelsilverstein.com/

Book Review:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30119.Where_the_Sidewalk_Ends