Where the Sidewalk Ends

by Shel Silverstein

Where the Sidewalk Ends Book and CD: Poems and Drawings with CD (Audio)

Silly, silly Shel Silverstein. For more than 25 years, he has taken children exactly where they want to go with poetry: into the world of nonsense and wordplay. Take "Instructions," for example:

If you should ever choose
To bathe an armadillo,
Use one bar of soap
And a whole lot of hope
And seventy-two pads of Brillo.

Is there a moral? A higher meaning? A lesson? Most certainly not--except perhaps in bathing armadillos. The late poet's collection of verse and pen-and-ink drawings, Where the Sidewalk Ends, is the bestselling children's poetry book of all time. Now, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this literary marvel, a special new edition is available, complete with a CD featuring 10 of his nuttiest poems. The compilation, "recited, sung, and shouted" by Silverstein himself, features highlights from his Grammy Award-winning album, including "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too," "With His Mouth Full of Food," "Crocodile's Toothache," and "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out." No child--or grownup, for that matter--should be without this collection, or its companion, A Light in the Attic. (Ages 5 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Genres: Poetry, Childrens, Classics, Fiction, Humor, Young Adult, Picture Books

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Shel Silverstein was the author-artist of many beloved books of prose and poetry. He was a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, recording artist, and Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated songwriter.

Shel Silverstein will perhaps always be best loved for his extraordinary books. Shel’s books are now published in more than 47 different languages. The last book that was published before his death in 1999 was Falling Up

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

His parents did well naming him Shel.
He never did care to conform.
What would compel a guy to rebel
If everyone knew him as Norm?

[Emily May · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I will not play at tug o' war.
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.”

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review
4+ of 5 stars to Where the Sidewalk Ends, a collection of poetry published in 1974 by Shel Silverstein. What a wonderful book to read with children at any age; that is, both any age for the reader and the children! I first read this book when I was about 10-years-old, and then again in college. From the brilliant characters to the alliteration and rhyme, to the memorable lines and funny situations, it's one of those books where you will find something new each time you read it.

I cannot imagine being this creative. I can dream up stories about real people and situations and have written several, but to have an imagination where animals and things can talk, have emotions, interact in peculiar ways... to find the words to compare and contrast... to describe and draw precious creations... is true talent. I admire Silverstein's massive fantasy world of freedom. He was so unconstrained in his ability to develop a world with just enough charm and beauty to win us all over. It's a book all about perception, but without taking the didactic and pedantic approach.

Children see things differently than adults. Adults have limits. Children have experiences. But what happens on the other side... where something is too far to see, or too close to imagine? Who lives in the crack between cement blocks? The world of freedom does... and that's where Silverstein wants us to go, where we are all equal, without preconceived notions... to be able to explore as if we are seeing something for the first time... and connecting with everyone around us. That's how to motivate readers with this book... children learning to see more than what they actually see.

I could go on and on... but I'll stop. It's just a wonderful way to learn. FYI - Wrote this review ~2017 from memory as I want to have a review for everything I remember reading. If I messed it up, let me know! LOL :)

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

[Robin Hobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that has been on our family shelves literally for generations. My own offspring enjoyed it, and are now sharing it with their children. There is a great pleasure in hearing someone say, "I remember when you read this to me."

I've always enjoyed Silverstein's humor. There is such a wide variety of poems in here, long and short, some that depend on his illustration and some that stand alone.

I think poetry is important for kids. There is a rhythm to our English language, and I think poetry has always captured it better than prose. So many of the poems here are complete little stories. And I enjoy that they break the staid and starchy reputation that is so often unjustly attached to poetry.

This is one of those books that can be opened to any page, any time. And it's definitely a book that begs to be shared and read aloud.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a polar bear - in the fridgedare - he likes it cuz its cold in there!

I wrote a report on this in the 6th grade and I still remember that by heart. That was the year I got braces and Chris N. butted in line when we were coming in from recess and I grabbed his arm and said "No Butting!" and he turned around and punched me in the face. The braces smashed into my lip and it bled so bad! I went to the bathroom with a girlfriend (I can't remember her anymore - isn't that strange?) and she tried to help me clean up and then the bell rang and she went back to class and I had to walk in to class with my bloody face. My teacher looked at me - and I was trying to skulk so quietly in - and he said "Who did that to you?!?!?" and I said Chris N. and he grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him off the ground and slammed him into the wall. He said something like "You don't hit girls!" and took him to the principles office.

The funny thing?!?! That weekend I got chicken pox (the second time!) and when I got back they gave me two weeks detention for getting in a fight. (I am so not shitting you.) And when I went to detention - they made me sit in the hall by myself rather than sitting in detention with all the assholes who got busted for real shit.

Man I have had the most fucked up life.

Huh? Oh. this book rocks. Read it. Read it to your kids. Read it to people you love. And always remember that there IS a polar bear in the frigidare. (I live in Minnesota so that really means something.)

[Marvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look O Look!
I see a book!
A book that gleams
A book that screams
Delightful things
By Shel Silverstein
Poems and drawings
That are not boring
They speak to me
Like a tapestry
Of childhood joys
For girls and boys
Not just for kids
Adults will dig
The funny rhymes
of forgotten times
When they were young
And life was fun
So turn the page
Forget your age
When the book ends
You can start again
And follow the bend
Where the sidewalk ends

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of children's poems from Shel Silverstein is a real treat. Each of the creatures and characters is fascinating and never overly moralistically drawn. There are lots of laughs here - both my kids adored these poems and were sad when I turned the last page. "More!!" they cried.

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every child eventually discovers the perverted old man who wrote songs for Johnny Cash, did illustrations for Playboy, appeared on the Dr. Demento show numerous times, and managed to get a few books published along the way.

For some reason, parents never seem to think this creepy old guy who was so fond of children was in any way "disturbing," something I'm continually impressed with in the "ban now, ask questions later" climate of modern culture. If there are people who don't like Shel Silverstein, I don't want to meet them. Or, more to the point, you shouldn't meet them if that is an option.

Children need to experience this kind of creepy / weird / funny / sad stuff, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of having a conduit through which they can make sense of most of the rest of the world. Knowing that Shel sees things this way, too, makes it all easier to take, and makes your own oddness that much more tolerable. We, as humans, need to come to terms with inexplicable and unfathomable in the world, and it wasn't until Shel that we began to realize that the only way to gently help our children do just that, is to let a perverted old weirdo with a large stack of Playboys in his basement lead the way.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am crap at reciting from books. Sure, I know your super-famous opening lines and popular misquotations, but I don't really, like, pause in my reading to note a particularly nice turn of phrase so I can commit it to memory.

Which is odd, because I have always had a pretty good memory for the spoken word and, especially, lyrics. When I was little, my parents found this most amusing. They would hear me playing in my bedroom, singing random snatches of commercial jingles and songs from A Prairie Home Companion to myself. Then they would try to make me perform them for guests.

"Sing the song from the Garrison Keillor tape!" they would say.

"No," I would respond, suddenly shy.

"Come on, sing it!" they'd smile. ("He's being shy, he usually sings this all day!")

"No, I don't want to," I'd insist.

"Come on, Joel, sing the song from the tape."

"NOOOOO!" I would shout, now in tears.

"SING IT OR YOU'RE IN TROUBLE!"

One of the things they would force me to perform like a trained monkey I liked to recite best was Shel Silverstein poetry. I had a cassette tape of Where the Sidewalk Ends (read by the author) that I listened to over and over, to the point where I had all the timing and inflections down and everything. I still have them memorized.

The Crocodile's Toothache

Oh, the crocodile went to the dentist
and he sat down into the chair.
And the dentist said, [jovially] "Now tell me sir, why does it hurt and where?"

And the crocodile said,
"I'll tell you the truth, I've a terrible
terrible
ache in my tooth!"

And he opened his jaws so wide,
so wide,
the dentist he climbed right inside!

And the dentist laughed,
[gleefully] "Oh, isn't this fun?"
as he pulled the teeth out
one
by
one.

And the crocodile cried,
[frantic] "You're hurting me so!
Please put down your pliers and let me go!"

But the dentist just laughed with a
[deep voice] "Ho ho ho!"
and said, "I still have 12 to go!
Oops, that's the wrong one, I confess
but what's one crocodile tooth
more or less?"

And then suddenly
the jaws went snap!

[pause]

And the dentist was gone,
right off the map.

From north, [pause]
to south, [pause]
to east, [pause]
to west, [pause]
he left
no
for-
ward-
ing
address.

But [long pause]
what's one dentist, more or less?

FROM MEMORY! It is better if you can hear it. Come by sometime and maybe my parents will force me to perform for you like some kind of sideshow robot freak.

Facebook 30 Day Book Challenge Day 7: Book that you can quote/recite.

[Karen Chee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title is misleading. I read the entire book and there was NO mention of where exactly the sidewalk ends. Obviously walking along a street that suddenly disappears beneath my feet is a huge fear, and I was hoping for some coordinates to avoid. You have been warned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tim Null · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why I put this book on my Want To Read list. I'm guessing I wanted to reread it. The mother of my granddaughter, my daughter, loves this book.

[Traci Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet and sassy poetry collection. Silverstein has so much heart and wit. I read it slowly over 45 days to my 5 year old twins and they loved it and were awed and confused. We all have our favorites and it was a joy to read as a family. I loved the book as a kid and love it even more now that I'm able to see the poems again through The Mini Stacks' eyes.

[Clumsy Storyteller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best poetry book i have read so far.

[Sita · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is that this book is amazing. This was the first book that my dad ever read to me and I loved it. I was re-reading it today and I normally don’t love books I loved when I was little, but this book is different. I still love it, there’s not much else I can say that people haven’t already said, so I am just going to end this super short review now.

P.S. If you haven’t read this before I recommend giving it a go, it is a nice fun, simple read that I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading.

[Dunninghousehold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book! This new addition has 12 new poems, and they fit in perfectly with our beloved favorites. The first poem, Invitation, sums the book up perfectly, and remains one of my favorite poems of all time:


Invitation

If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!


And once you do, you'll never be the same. Awaken your silly wiggly bold beastie of a child within, and read this book, again and again...

[Diamond Cowboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of poems by a great poet and song writer. I have much respect for his writings.
I recommend this to all.

[Maede · Rating 3 out of 5]

شل سیلوراستین به طور دوست داشتنی ای دیوانه ست
بچه ای که سرش رو گم می کنه، اسب تک شاخی که از کشتی نوح جا می مونه و آدم برفی ای که اصرار داره آب نشه تا ماه جولای رو ببینه
گاهی به نظر میاد بعضی شعرها هیچ معنی نمیده و گاهی معنی پشت بعضی هاشون در عین سادگی انقدر عمیقه که آدم تعجب می کنه
شیرینی و دیوانه وار بودن این شعرها برای دنیای بچه ها عالیه، دنیایی که هنوز با واقعیت محدود نشده

THE LAND OF HAPPY

Have you been to The Land of Happy,
Where everyone’s happy all day,
Where they joke and they sing
Of the happiest things.
And everything’s jolly and gay?
There’s no one unhappy in Happy,
There’s laughter and smiles galore.
I have been to The Land of Happy-
What a bore!
 

NO DIFFERENCE

Small as a peanut.
Big as a giant.
We’re all the same size
When we turn off the light.
Rich as a sultan,
Poor as a mite.
We’re all worth the same
When we turn off the light.
Red, black or orange,
Yellow or white.
We all look the same
When we turn off the light.
So maybe the way
To make everything right
Is for God to just reach out
And turn off the light!

98.11.15

[Arman · Rating 5 out of 5]

من به یک سری از دلایل، انگیزه های زیادی ندارم برای اینکه بچه ای از خون و ریشه های خودم داشته باشم. بچه ها رو دوست دارم، حتی تربیت کردن بچه هم مشکلی نیست، مشکل از همون پله اول سرچشمه می گیره، اینکه 50 درصد از مسئولیت اومدن یه انسان جدید به این جهان رو بر عهده بگیری و به این نتیجه برسی که قادر به این خواهی بود که این جهان رو اونقدر خوب برای بچه ـت رقم بزنی که اومدنش بهتر از نیومدنش باشه

اما از وقتی با کتاب های شل سیلوراستاین آشنا شدم، به جرأت می تونم بگم که علاقه خیلی بیشتری به ایده بچه داشتن پیدا کردم. حین خوندن کتاب هاش، این ایده که که ساعت 11 شب، یه بچه 5 ساله رو ببری توی اتاق خوابش، روشنایی اتاقش رو خاموش کنی، شبخواب ـش رو روشن کنی و براش از شعرهای عمو شلبی بخونی تا خوابش ببره رهام نمی کنه. شعرهای سیلوراستاین به بزرگترین انگیزه ـم از بچه داشتن تبدیل شده و این مبالغه نیست

به این فکر می کنم که بچه ای که این شعرها رو از همون دوران خردسالی براش خونده باشن و این مضامین توی ضمیرش نقش بسته باشه، چقدر می تونه سطح فکری بالاتری از هم سن و سال هاش داشته باشه و چقدر می تونه در آینده برای "زمین" مفید باشه. مضامینی که سیلوراستاین بهشون پرداخته انقدر متنوع و زیادن که حتی از تمام چیزهایی که شما به عنوان والدین قراره به بچه یاد بدید هم بیشتره و کامل تره! و جالب این جاست که بعضی هاشون انقدر عمیق هستن که حتی واسه منِ 21 ساله هم آموزنده هستن. یکی از شعرهایی که حس کردم خودم هم می تونم ازش یاد بگیرم این بود:

Just ME, Just Me

Sweet Marie, she loves just me
(she also loves Maurice McGhee)
No she don't, she loves just me
(She also loves Louise Dupree)
No she don't, she loves just me
(She also loves the willow tree)
No she don't, she loves just me
(Poor, poor fool, why can't you see
She can love others and still love thee)

من حداقل تا یکی دو سال پیش توی درک و هضم مضمومنی که توی شعر بالا بهش پرداخته شده عاجز بودم و آدمایی رو هم می شناسم که این مشکل رو دارن، بنابراین این نشون میده که شعرهای سیلوراستاین با اینکه در وهله اول برای بچه ها نوشته شدن، ولی مخاطبشون می تونه خیلی خیلی گسترده تر از "فقط بچه ها" باشه

واقعاً باور دارم که اگه مردم دنیا شعرهای سیلوراستاین رو مثل یه قرارداد نا نوشته از همون بچگی برای بچه هاشون بخونن، مفهوم دنیایی ازصلح و یه حسی مثه نفرت از جنگ و خون ریزی توی ذهن ها بچه ها نقش می بنده و شاید یه دنیای بهتر رو داشته باشیم. این شعر رو بخونید مثلاً:

Hug O' War

I will not play at tug o' war,
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
and rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.

و هر شعر هم نقاشی خاص خودش رو داره که برای بچه هایی که سواد خوندن کتاب رو ندارن، جذابیت مضاعف ایجاد می کنه و بن مایه شعر رو می تونن از نقاشی مربوط به شعر درک کنن

من خودم جزء اون بچه های خوش شانسی بودم که پدر مادرم و عمه عزیزم توی بچگی برام کتاب داستان می گرفتن و می خوندن و با کتاب بزرگ شدم. با این وجود، کتاب داستان هایی که من خوندم این درجه از غنا رو نداشتن. کتاب داستان های اوایل دهه هفتاد بودن که معمولاً حول محور "حسن کچل" می چرخیدن و الان تنها چیزی که ازشون یادم مونده اینه:

کچل کچل کلاچه
روغن کله پاچه

که اینجا شاید نویسنده می خواست این پیام رو بده که نباید کچل ها رو مسخره کرد به خاطر مو نداشتنشون، ولی بر عکس این شعره توی ضمیر ناخودآگاه نقش می بست و هر وقت یه آدم کچل یا بچه ای که موهاش رو زده بودن رو می دیدم، این شعره رو می خوندم!

این کتاب رو از یه حراجی پیدا کردم و دلیل اینکه خریدمش هم دو زبانه بودنش (یه طرف متن اصلی، یه طرف متن ترجمه شده) بود. پیشنهادم اینه که هر نوع شعر خارجی رو اگه به زبان اصلی نمی خونید، حتی الامکان به صورت دو زبانه بخونید و فقط به متن فارسی اکتفا نکنید. همه ـمون می دونیم که ترجمه شعر چقدر کار سختیه و چقدر از زیبایی ها و احساسات اصیل شعر در ترجمه از بین میره یا تغییر می کنه. به شخصه قسمت انگلیسی کتاب رو خوندم، ولی ترجمه ها هم خیلی خیلی عالی صورت گرفته بود و حتی یک اشکال ترجمه هم توش پیدا نکردم. نسخه من از نشر "هوای تازه" و با ترجمه "رضی خدادادی" بود.

در پایان، یکی از شعرهای کوتاه و زیبای کتاب رو به عنوان حسن ختام می نویسم:

LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS

Listen to the MUST'NTS, 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

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless.

Entertaining.

Inviting.

Captivating.

Influential.

Simple ideas and words that form such eloquent, fun, innocent full depth poems that any reader can love.

Simple messages. Heart-full.

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is officially one of my favorite children's books. I read this with my 10, 9, and 7 year old daughters. We all loved the book so very much, but I was really surprised at just how into it I was...I think the girls got just as big a kick out of watching me laughing maniacally as they got out of the actual book.

I realize that I'm way behind on discovering this author, and so I'm just giving a general 'enjoyment' review. Silverstein not only made me laugh so hard I almost cried, but he also write with such heart that he could make me cry with a one page poem. Admittedly, I have a soft heart when it comes to children's books. Some of his clever rhymes reveal the magic of the young and how some kids are able to live in a world all their own...that wonderful place called childhood. And yet it all has an adult spin on it, a sense of longing that only adults can have for the childhood that is long gone for them. Deeper meanings, folks...

“Magic
Sandra’s seen a leprechaun,
Eddie touched a troll,
Laurie danced with witches once,
Charlie found some goblins gold.
Donald heard a mermaid sing,
Susy spied an elf,
But all the magic I have known
I've had to make myself.”

There are some that have big morals that spouted long conversations between my kids and I:

“My skin is kind of sort of brownish pinkish yellowish white. My eyes are greyish blueish green, but I'm told they look orange in the night. My hair is reddish blondish brown, but its silver when its wet, and all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet.”

And some that were just for fun and had us all giggling like crazy loons. We've already gone back and reread some favorites...And I love how the pictures come right from the authors head, as well as the words. His imagination does it much better than ours could have!

Highly recommended for any parents and kids who need a dose of imagination, humor, and insight. I'd even recommend this to just an adult who likes to laugh.

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books when I was a young girl growing up. A book that I will never forget, and I’ve made sure to always have a copy of this book in my house.

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Where the Sidewalk Ends” is another book of poems from the creative mind of Shel Silverstein, who is the popular author of “A Light in the Attic.” This book details poems about silly people and animals doing crazy activities. Even though this book has some suggestive content, children will easily be delighted in this book for many years.

Shel Silverstein has done an awesome job with both illustrating and writing this book of poems. Shel Silverstein’s writing is witty and creative as uses bizarre creatures and humans to summarize each poem in a humorous way. The poem that I thought stood out the most was the poem about Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who refused to take the garbage out and meets a grisly end (even though he never mentions what happened to her) and that poem expresses the moral that it is important to take the garbage out when it is needed and how one must listen to their parents when doing chores. Shel Silverstein’s illustrations are hilarious and crude as he illustrates each character with long limbs and exaggerated expressions and I also love the way that Shel Silverstein puts the illustrations in black and white format which is mostly found in chapters books for both children and adults.



Parents should know that there is a great deal of suggestive content in this book mainly revolving around the topic of morbid humor and the topic of God. The two poems that might be the most controversial would be “Ma and God” and “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout would not take the Garbage Out.” In “Ma and God,” the poem talks about how Ma always tells her child to not do bad things, even though God has created the bad things for the child to do. For instance, one passage mentions that mother tells their children to eat their vegetables, but God creates sweets for children to eat. This poem might give children the wrong message about God and parents might want to teach their children about religion before they read them this poem. In “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout would not take the Garbage out,” the garbage overflows the house and eventually the city when Sarah refused to take the garbage out. This poem might worry small children who think that if the garbage overflows their house, then they will meet a tragic fate too. However, the poem merely tries to teach children to obey their parents and parents should try to comfort their children about this poem and the importance of taking the trash out.

“Where the Sidewalk Ends” is another great classic book of poems from Shel Silverstein and it will surely help engage children into the world of poetry. I would recommend this book for children ages six and up due to the suggestive themes of God and some morbid humor that younger children might not understand.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Algernon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s in the sack? What’s in the sack?
Is it some mushrooms or is it the moon?
Is it love letters or downy goosefeathers?
Or maybe the world’s most enormous balloon?

Santa brought me this year a reminder that you’re never too old to enjoy a good old fashioned jump into a mud bath/rain puddle, you’re never too old to remember when the world was filled with wonders and rules were made to be broken.



So, don’t keep off the edge of the world:
Jump right into these lovely mud puddles and splash for all you’re worth. That five year old kid who rejoiced in the anarchy of rain and snow, who broke the rules just to see where it will lead him is still somewhere inside you, begging to be let out.
I am probably more enthused now, close to sixty, by the drawings and by the doggerels of Shel Silverstein than I would have been as a five year old. At that time, I would rather have embarked on the tree-swing built by my father and departed on a journey around the world as I pushed it as high as it could go.

Went for a ride in a flying shoe.
“Hooray!”
“What fun!”
“It’s time we flew!”



I don’t want to take the trash out, but I might enjoy a conversation with some sleeping sardines. A giant gorilla might be just what I need to take to school instead of textbooks, and I know there’s a secret tree house waiting for me at the bottom of the garden. If I get hungry, I’m going to refuse eating my vegetables, and build myself a delicious hippopotamus sandwich instead ...

I have just rediscovered myself with this first book of poetry and drawings from Shel Silverstein. Thank you Santa, and I hope you will have more in your sack for the future.

Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,
And shared a conversation with the housefly in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions of the crickets,
And joined the crying of each falling dying flake of snow,
Once I spoke the language of the flowers ...
How did it go?
How did it go?

[Sophia Triad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The following poems are actually a very good summary of the stories that I love to read:

INVITATION
If you are a dreamer, come in.
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .
If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire,
For we have some flax golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!


It's Dark in Here
I am writing these poems
From inside a lion,
And it's rather dark in here.
So please excuse the handwriting
Which may not be too clear.
But this afternoon by the lion's cage
I'm afraid I got too near.
And I'm writing these lines
From inside a lion,
And it's rather dark in here.


TRUE STORY 
This morning I jumped on my horse
And went out for a ride.
And some wild outlaws chased me
And they shot me in the side.
So I crawled into a wildcat’s cave
To find a place to hide,
But some pirates found me sleeping there,
And soon they had me tied
To a pole and built a fire
Under me-I almost cried
Till a mermaid came and cut me loose
And begged to be my bride.
So I said I’d come back Wednesday
But I must admit I lied.
Then I ran into a jungle swamp
But I forgot my guide
And I stepped into some quicksand,
And no matter how I tried
I couldn’t get out, until I met
A water snake named Clyde,
Who pulled me to some cannibals
Who planned to have me fried.
But an eagle came and swooped me up
And through the air we flied,
But he dropped me in a boiling lake
A thousand miles wide.
And you’ll never guess what I did then-
I DIED.

[midnightfaerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my most favorite authors of my youth, Silverstein does a most excellent job of tapping into the heart of a child. Whether it be a child's heart in an adult or an actual child, the result is the same: pure and simple joy. Silverstein excels not only in rhyming, but his use of adjectives in the English language when describing things such as "icky, stick, peanut butter sandwiches" makes this a joy not only to listen to, but to read out loud as well. I remember having it read to me for the first time when I was five years old, and I loved it so much I stole my friend's copy from her house. (Her family had more money and didn't even appreciate them, but I know that's no excuse. When I told my Mom this story, she was like "Why didn't you tell me? We could have tried to get the books for you!" I had no answer. A five year olds reasoning, even mine, is sometimes beyond me.)

In any case, I absolutely love this book and the other books by Silverstein as well. If you never read anything to your children other than these books, you will at least have instilled a love of poetry in your child. My five year old is now making up poems and reciting them to anyone who will listen. A great addition and absolute must-have for any children's (or adult children's - like me!) library. Highly recommended!

ClassicsDefined.com

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mommy and I are going through one poem at a time. So far I like it, but am rather confused by a few!!

6/27/08--My favorite poem so far is Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too! I love how is sounds when Mommy says it.

[Connie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful poetry and drawings for children written with humor and heart.

[Julie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our local Costco currently has a table filled with Shel Silverstein books for sale, and I couldn't help but smile at the display. I picked up the different titles with care, reminiscing over what age I was when I read that particular book myself, or read it later to kids as a babysitter, or read it to my first child, who is quite a bit older than my little daughters are now.

I then realized I've never owned Where the Sidewalk Ends, so we bought a copy and brought it home and added it to our little school here. I'm not only Mom, I'm Teacher, too, and by day 2 of reading his poetry I was reminded of why this became a classic.

Silverstein not only found a brilliant way of writing poetry to appeal to children, he was an inventive and imaginative poet for adults as well. He dabbles in just about everything: clever shape poems, no rules free verse, traditional metered rhyme, limericks, haiku, acrostic poems, too. We came up with several lesson plans from single poems, and the possibilities for teaching and exploring are endless.

This collection is a treasure.

[Elaine Mullane || Elaine and the Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."

I can't believe it took me so long to read this book. I adore The Giving Tree so I knew I would be a fan of this, but I didn't realise just how much. Shel Silverstein is an incredible craftsman of poetry (and of words in general). His use of alliteration and assonance makes reading these poems aloud a wonderful experience. This collection is delectable and profound.

I truly love Silverstein's wit and humour. These poems are clever and hilarious, while still being so very touching. They are the perfect thing to read to children and a collection no family should be without. A favourite, for sure.

[Shai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collection of poems in this children's poetry book are really unique and amusing. One of the poems that I like is entitled Smart :