Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974)

by Shel Silverstein

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▾LibraryThing recommendations

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The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein (1976)
Same series: The Missing Piece Meets the Big O (The Missing Piece)
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963)
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The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (1911)
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A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein (gilberts)

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▾Member reviews

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Showing 1-5 of 227 (next | show all)

collection of silly poems, sure to make even the most serious child laugh. Favorite: page 59, Sick

Phill242 | May 6, 2013 |

Oh Shelly. Shel Silverstein just has a way with words. He strays away from the stuffy, fluffy stuff and really lays on the humor. This was the first instance where I really enjoyed poetry. (

)

frozenplums | May 4, 2013 |

This book would obviously be used for poetry and all kinds! There are endless things you could do with this book involving poems.

cbs022 | May 2, 2013 |

While I only read selections of this collection of Shel Silverstein's poetry this semester, I have to say that his is one of the brilliant children's writers of all time. Some poems are funny, others are deep, and many are both. These beloved poems will absolutely make it into my classroom, be it as posters or lessons. Silverstein's poems are a wonderful way to teach children that in literature, and especially in poetry, stories can have more than one level of meaning.

(this review also applies to another work of his, A Light in the Attic) (

)

Laene | Apr 27, 2013 |

This book has endless possibilities of use. From specific lessons about grammar, or subject matter (

)

Lukesilvera | Apr 26, 2013 |

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▾Published reviews

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thingScore 50

There's some nice, lively stuff in here, good for reading aloud on a sleety weekend afternoon. Just don't make it the only book of verse on the children's shelves.

added by Shortride | editThe New York Times Book Review, Sherwin D. Smith (pay site) (Nov 3, 1974)

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Is contained in

3 Book Collection; the Giving Tree; a Light in the Attic; Where the Sidewalk Ends By Shel Silverstein by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein: Poems and Drawings: Slipcase 3-Book Box Set by Shel Silverstein

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Canonical title

Where the Sidewalk Ends

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Awards and honors

1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up (2009.0276|2009, Ages 5↑)

Epigraph

Dedication

For Ursula..

First words

"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!

Quotations

“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.

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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

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Wikipedia in English (2)

Where the Sidewalk Ends (book)

Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2011 October 12

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

I think these are great poems that stand the length of time. What really stands out about Shel Silverstein is that his work is not just for children. His work has a place in probably 3rd grade on up. They are silly and funny which make children really want to listen. This is good poetry to start introducing this type of literature to children. The deeper meaning of these poems can also be discussed analyzed by older children.

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▾Book descriptions

Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0060256672, Hardcover)

Shel Silverstein shook the staid world of children's poetry in 1974 with the publication of this collection, and things haven't been the same since. More than four and a half million copies of Where the Sidewalk Ends have been sold, making it the bestselling children's poetry book ever. With this and his other poetry collections (A Light in the Attic and Falling Up), Silverstein reveals his genius for reaching kids with silly words and simple pen-and-ink drawings. What child can resist a poem called "Dancing Pants" or "The Dirtiest Man in the World"? Each of the 130 poems is funny in a different way, or touching ... or both. Some approach naughtiness or are a bit disgusting to squeamish grown-ups, but that's exactly what kids like best about Silverstein's work. Jim Trelease, author of The New Read-Aloud Handbook, calls this book "without question, the best-loved collection of poetry for children." (Ages 4 to 10)

(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:39:02 -0500)

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▾Library descriptions

A boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale are only two of the characters in a collection of humorous poetry illustrated with the author's own drawings.

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