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 Where
the Sidewalk Ends
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his
flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke
blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers
grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured
and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is
measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows
go,
For the children, they mark, and the
children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
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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, 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 120) |
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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."
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In 1981,
Silverstein received the Michigan Young
Readers Award for this book. The book is
filled with poems that not only children
can identify with but people of all ages.
The poems (and song lyrics) are humorous,
lively and sometimes have hidden meanings
it seems. The simple style in which they
are written and the child like world of
ideas incorporated makes for accessible
children's reading material. The viewpoint
of a child in the poems can clearly be
recognized and does not in anyway take
away from the pleasure "grown-ups" can
read in the same poems. Lessons and
wisdom's are entwined throughout the
poems. |
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Fun
Poetry for People of Any Age
(Ages 4 to 120) |
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Awards,
Honors
1974 New York Times
Outstanding Book Award for Where The Sidewalk Ends
1981 Michigan Young Readers' Award for Where The
Sidewalk Ends
1981 School Library Journal Best Books award for A
Light In The Attic
1982 International Reading Association's Children's
Choice award for The Missing Piece Meets The Big O
1983 Buckeye award for A Light In The Attic
1984 George G. Stone award for A Light In The Attic and
Where The Sidewalk Ends
1984 William Allen White award for A Light In The Attic
1985 Buckeye award for A Light In The Attic |
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Silverstein
never planned on writing and drawing for
children. His friend, Tomi Ungerer,
brought him to Ursula Nordstom's office
where she convinced him to do children's
books. One of his earliest and most
successful books, The Giving Tree, was
rejected by editor William Cole. Cole felt
that the book fell between adults' and
children's literature and would never
sell. In Silverstein's eyes, it was a
story about two people; one gives and the
other takes. Ultimately, both adults and
children embraced the book. He hoped that
people, no matter what age, could identify
with his other books as well. His works
include Falling Up (1996), Where the
Sidewalk Ends (1981), A Light in the Attic
(1981), The Missing Piece (1982), The
Missing Piece Meets the Big O. He won
awards for all three books: The Michigan
Young Readers Award for Where the Sidewalk
Ends (1981); a School Library Journal Best
Books (1982) for A Light in the Attic, an
International Reading Association's
Children's Choices Award for The Missing
Piece Meets the Big O. |
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