134. Where the Sidewalk Ends

Where the Sidewalk Ends: 30th Anniversary Special Edition
Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein

Pages: 183
Ages: All Ages
Finished: Jul. 17 2009
First Published: 1974 (2004, this edition)
Genre: children, poetry
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

If you are a dreamer, come in.

Reason for Reading: I read poems to my son daily (M-F). I try to alternate between classic children's poetry books and silly poetry books. It was silly poetry time.

Comments: Not much introduction is needed for Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends. This is his first collection of poetry and contains some of his best (and most well-known poems) such as Boa Constrictor, Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out, Sick and The Unicorn (famously song by The Irish Rovers). This 30th Anniversary Special Addition includes 12 new poems added at the end of the book, which were all varying degrees of funny. The whole book of poems is varying degrees of funny. You'll find ones that will have you giggling uncontrollably or laughing out loud all the way down to the ones that just let a little smile creep onto your lips. When your child finds a favourite, they'll beg for it again and again and again! There is a small selection of poems that are starting to show their age, that one can tell were created in the "Make Love Not War" 1970s and they fell flat with us, but they represent a handful out of a bookful. Silverstein's illustrations are simple yet tell so much and are just as fun as the poems themselves. Of the three poetry collections, this first one is still THE one to get if you are only going to buy one.


Follow me on Twitter!
Friend me on Facebook (say how you know me)